Vacuumed Out Of The Gulf

[rrhyne56]

When the Omega Protein corporation goes fishing for menhaden, they don't bring just a rod and bait. Their highly industrialized operation involves planes to spot schools of menhaden and giant vacuum ships to suck them out of the Gulf. And too often wildlife like turtles, dolphins and sharks get sucked up right with them. In fact, an estimated one million pounds of ocean wildlife "bycatch" get crushed and killed in this process.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission has rightly proposed new standards to protect the Gulf from the dangers of factory fishing of menhaden, and more than x of you sent comments to them in support. But Omega Protein (the largest menhaden company) has hired high-powered lobbyists to try to get Governor Perry to intervene and stop the new protections.

Please call Governor Perry at 1-800-252-9600 and tell him you support the Parks and Wildlife proposal and want it strengthened, not weakened.

Here's a sample message you can leave:

"Hello, my name is ____ and I live in _____, Texas. I support the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission proposal to cap the amount of menhaden (note - pronounced MEN-HAY-DEN) that can be taken from Texas waters. Please make sure the proposal also includes adding marine scientists to the fleet to count and limit the amount of bycatch that is caught."

Then let us know you called by filling out the form at:

http://environmenttexas.org/action/o...n/call2?id4=ES

For more information, see this great Mother Jones magazine article on menhaden:
http://www.motherjones.com/news/feat...et_losses.html

[Old #art]

rrhyne56--

Omega does the same thing in the Chesapeake Bay in Va./Md. and off the coast of NC. Menhaden is the main food source of a lot of the fish in this area, especially Stripers and Drum. When the Menhaden stocks are depleted, these fish turn to the crabs for food. Guess what is in short supply in the bay right now?--your guessed it---crabs !!

Omega must have a lot of pull around here also because it doesn't seem to be anything slowing them down. NC has tried to get a law passed that would keep them out 3 miles off the coast but it hasn't been successful yet.