National Fisherman

Mid-Atlantic

The Virginia General Assembly on June 29 approved $2 million for a state study of the Chesapeake Bay menhaden population. Photo courtesy of Larry Chowning

Larry_Chowning

Lawmakers approve funding of menhaden study

Larry Chowning

CEO of Ocean Harvesters Monty Deihl speaks to the press and others at a press conference in Reedville in September 2025. Photo courtesy of Larry Chowning

Larry_Chowning

Virginia proposes $2 million in funding for menhaden study

Larry Chowning

An economic study is adding momentum to shift more of the coastwide quota toward bait fisheries, while recent debate in Virginia continues to highlight disagreements over research and management of the species. Photo courtesy of Larry Chowning

Study fuels Atlantic menhaden debate

Carli Clancy

The battle between Virginia's menhaden reduction fishery and environmental groups escalated when Virginia legislators approved a $205 billion budget funding for menhaden research. Larry Chowning photo.

Larry_Chowning

Menhaden firms deny pressuring Virginia legislators

Larry Chowning

Ocean Harvesters says a new study on Chesapeake Bay osprey declines does not prove a link to Virginia's commercial menhaden fishery. Photo courtesy of Ocean Harvesters

Ocean Harvesters disputes osprey-menhaden link

Carli Clancy

Hurricane Erin was the first major hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season and strengthened to a Category 4 storm with sustained winds of 130 mph. NOAA photo.

NOAA predicts ‘below normal’ 2026 Atlantic hurricane season

NF Staff

Mike Malczewski fishes blue catfish using pots. His son Cody, seen behind the pot, goes longlining for blue cats, but sometimes helps his father. Malczewski makes all his own pots. “I haven’t had luck with storebought,” he says. Photo courtesy of Jay Flem

Invasive blue catfish turn problem into fishery

Paul Molyneaux

Commercial fishing vessels in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Credit: Photo courtesy of NOAA Fisheries / Heather Soulen

NOAA surveys East Coast fishing crews amid industry pressures

NF Staff

The 2026 Chesapeake Bay winter blue crab dredge survey shows a 46 percent increase in the crab population from 2025. Photo by Larry Chowning

Larry_Chowning

Bay-wide blue crab survey shows 46 percent increase

Larry Chowning

The hull of the Miss Violet II is being fiberglassed and repowered with a new Cummins QSC 600 diesel engine to work in the Virginia blue crab pot fishery. Larry Chowning photo.

Larry_Chowning

The enduring pull of the wooden deadrise boat

Larry Chowning

With a AMSFC 20% quota reduction in coast-wide menhaden harvest, these Reedville fishermen are likely to see pay cuts this year. Photo courtesy of Larry Chowning

Larry_Chowning

Menhaden fishermens’ paychecks likely to be smaller

Larry Chowning