In Washington, discussions are ramping up around revitalizing American industries, safeguarding working communities, and pushing back against corporate greed that burdens everyday citizens. Yet, one area where these conversations seem nearly absent is U.S. fisheries policy.
That’s a problem.
Forage fish like menhaden, herring, and mackerel are crucial to the marine food web, serving as a link between plankton and larger fish species vital to U.S. commercial and recreational fishing. Sadly, industrial fishing practices have pushed many of these species to alarmingly low numbers, harming marine ecosystems and coastal economies alike.
Interestingly, over 30% of the global fish catch comprises forage fish, primarily used as animal feed. In U.S. waters, menhaden are chiefly targeted by large-scale Atlantic reduction fleets and industrial midwater trawlers in the Northeast.
It’s a story many have seen unfold before.
Back in the 1970s, Congress established a 200-mile exclusive economic zone to curb the destruction caused by foreign fleets, particularly the Soviet ones, which had devastated stocks of Atlantic herring and mackerel. However, after eliminating foreign competition, the government ended up supporting a domestic industrial fleet that eventually mirrored those destructive practices.
Fast forward to 2019, the Atlantic herring fishery faced another collapse due to years of aggressive industrial fishing methods. This crisis affected not just the fishing sector but also the wider economic landscape. Local lobstermen noted, quite dramatically, that the price of bait skyrocketed—over five times its previous cost. Now, a lobster roll that used to be a $15 treat is inching closer to $40, leaving coastal businesses struggling to withstand the fallout.
Meanwhile, the menhaden harvest continues at an astonishing rate along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, employing reconnaissance planes, motherships, and various support vessels to harvest billions of menhaden annually from U.S. waters.
Menhaden are often dubbed “the most important fish in the ocean” for good reason. They serve as a crucial food source for striped bass, a significant and economically vital fish for recreational anglers. Interestingly, striped bass fishing injects more than $13 billion into the U.S. economy, supporting over 100,000 jobs.
However, striped bass populations have been on a downward trend for years, leading to the lowest harvest limits we’ve seen in decades, which is devastating for communities dependent on fishing from North Carolina to Maine.
Warning signs are popping up everywhere. In parts of the Chesapeake Bay, for instance, osprey chicks are starving while their parents can’t find enough menhaden to feed them. Studies have also indicated that industrial menhaden fishing is a significant factor in the declining striped bass populations, especially in regions where 70% of them reside along the East Coast.
Last fall, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission acknowledged they used flawed science when setting menhaden quotas in 2020, leading to excessive overharvesting. For five years, quotas were set too high, placing strain on striped bass, osprey habitats, and local fishing businesses.
Even after admitting these errors, regulators have often sided with industry interests rather than focusing on regenerating the ecosystem that sustains coastal economies and jobs.
Right now, the main beneficiaries of the Atlantic menhaden reduction fishery seem to be a single foreign processing factory with under 300 employees in Virginia. Other Atlantic states have banned similar operations due to their adverse effects on local fishing and economies. Only Louisiana and Mississippi on the Gulf Coast still permit such industrial fishing.
Economically, this situation is becoming increasingly untenable.
We’re risking thousands of jobs tied to recreational fishing, tourism, bait shops, and small-scale commercial fishing—all to safeguard a narrow industrial sector that primarily exports its products. A substantial portion of the fishmeal and fish oil produced from U.S. forage fish is sent overseas, providing feed for foreign-farmed fish that compete with U.S. seafood producers.
In a time when discussions around economic resilience, food security, and the future of domestic industry are critical, it’s tough to justify allowing industrial fishing practices to continue at this scale.
Safeguarding America’s forage fish isn’t just about environmental concerns; it intertwines with fisheries management, coastal community health, and the economy.
If Washington genuinely aims to restore American industries and protect our waterfronts, it’s time to rethink our ocean management strategies—shifting the focus from catering to a few industrial executives to serving the greater public interest.
America’s fishing industry should be a public asset, fostering robust ecosystems, thriving coastal economies, and a legacy for future generations of fishermen rather than relying on short-sighted industrial extraction that passes the cost on to others.
