Menhaden Conservation Works!

Tim Del Grosso who made his first entry with Fire Island and Beyond  last year is back again.

Tim, a freelance videographer & licensed drone pilot spent the last two weeks out on the waters of The NY Bight filming Whale & Menhaden behaviors. An advocate for protection of Menhaden, Tim put this video together to prove that conservation works.

Since 2013 whales have been coming back to the NY Bite for only one reason…food. Menhaden, the “low fish” on the food chain, has been over fished and harvested since the middle of last century. Legislation has been put in place to protect Menhaden and the conservation efforts prove positive with the return of massive pods. Migrating from Virginia, Menhaden pods are essential to our ocean. Everything in the ocean eats Menhaden and without them the food chain suffers….all the way up the chain to humans. To flourish this protect must remain in place.

Menhaden are also essential for local fisherman. From your average Joe who owns a boat to large party boat fleets Menhaden keep boats gassed up, charters sold out, tackle flying off the shelf and food on the table for boat sales and service company’s. Mostly Mom and Pop owned, these businesses depend on the Menhaden run and the trophy fish that eat them.

Used for fertilizer and Omega vitamins Menhaden population has been depleted by big money fisheries who line their pockets, & pollute our ocean all while destroying our food chain. Menhaden protection legislation needs to remain in place. Calculated amounts of fish can safely be taken from the ocean while not disrupting the food chain. We need to remain smart about limits….Limiting the amount of Menhaden fisheries in spawning areas can net and pump into tanker ships to get rich. Limits that allow the Menhaden to span and migrate naturally. We need this fish in our ocean, to feed the trophy stripers, birds, whales and keep our ecosystem whole.

If you can share the video please do. Remind your followers to help protect Menhaden (Bunker Fish) and keep these whales feed on our shores. You can visit either menhadendefenders.org or gothamwhale.org and just follow the popup. Quick and easy, it goes out to state commissioners & governors from states they are from. All coastal states from Maine to Florida.  Thank You!