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/oceans/protect-menhaden/call2?id4=ES

For more information, see this great Mother Jones magazine article on menhaden:
http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2006/03/net_losses.html

Robin

I recently received this e-mail from Luke Metzger, Director of Environment Texas:

Hi Larry, I have some good news to report! First, last week the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission voted to approve new standards to protect the Gulf of Mexico from overfishing. They approved a cap on the amount of menhaden that may be fished from Texas waters and will look into requiring independent observers on boats to monitor the "by-catch" of ocean wildlife.

Thanks for posting this and well done!!

Good News!!