REEDVILLE, Va. (November 13, 2026) –UFCW Local 400 strongly condemns this week’s decision by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) to impose further cuts to the menhaden fishing quota, placing the livelihoods of hardworking Virginia families at risk.
Just last year, the Commission reduced the coastwide quota by 20 percent. This week, it voted to impose additional reductions while disproportionately burdening the Chesapeake Bay fishery. The consequences of this decision will fall squarely on UFCW Local 400 members who work aboard the menhaden fleet in Reedville, Virginia, and the families and communities who depend on these jobs.
These are union jobs that provide economic stability in Northumberland County. They are among the last jobs of their kind in the region, and for many of our members, this work represents a proud legacy spanning two or three generations.
The Commission’s own scientific assessment finds that the Atlantic menhaden stock is not overfished and that overfishing is not occurring. State and federal funding has already been allocated to research the causes of menhaden depletion in the Chesapeake Bay. Instead of allowing ongoing research to reach its conclusions, the Commission chose to move forward with additional restrictions, forcing working families to bear the consequences of a reactionary vote.
Our members should not be forced to pay the price for questions the Commission has yet to answer.
We extend our sincere gratitude to Virginia Commissioners McClure, Grist, and Minor for their passionate and principled defense of our members and their communities. They demanded that the Board weigh the ongoing scientific research and the costs of further reductions.
We also acknowledge Ocean Harvesters and Omega Protein for recognizing UFCW Local 400’s advocacy on behalf of the workers whose livelihoods are at stake. As Ocean Harvesters CEO Monty Deihl affirmed in the companies’ statement following the vote, “Working families must have a voice in decisions affecting their future.”
Protecting the Chesapeake Bay and protecting good union jobs are not mutually exclusive goals. Our members are among the Bay’s strongest stewards and have a profound interest in preserving its health for future generations.
UFCW Local 400 will continue working alongside stakeholders to demand the timely completion of the Chesapeake Bay research. When these quotas are reviewed again, we will fight to ensure that decisions are driven by evidence and that working families are never treated as an afterthought.