A coalition of charter captains, commercial fishermen, and recreational fishing advocates launched a national campaign this week, pressing President Donald Trump to issue an executive order to restrict foreign industrial fishing in U.S. waters, with Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay at the heart of the debate. Named “Make America Fish Again,” the campaign seeks to protect American jobs, marine ecosystems, and coastal communities by curbing overharvesting of forage fish like menhaden, a critical food source for species such as striped bass, tuna, and whales.
Introduced during a virtual news conference with participants from Virginia, Maryland, Louisiana, and other coastal states, the campaign targets foreign-controlled fleets accused of depleting menhaden through industrial practices like midwater trawling and reduction fishing. Organizers are calling for a ban on these methods, science-based catch limits from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and prioritized access for domestic fleets. “Only the Lord can save more fish than Donald Trump,” said Capt. Vinnie Calabro, a commercial striped bass fisherman and charter operator, emphasizing the campaign’s bold appeal.
Virginia plays a pivotal role in the menhaden fishing debate, landing 75.2% of the Atlantic menhaden catch allocation in 2023, according to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. Reedville-based Ocean Harvesters, which operates the state’s menhaden fishing fleet, supplies Omega Protein, a subsidiary of Canada-based Cooke Inc. The company defends its operations, noting that menhaden fishing has sustained Virginia’s economy for over 145 years. “Ocean Harvesters vessels are crewed primarily by American fishermen, many of whom are multi-generational, holding the same jobs as their fathers and grandfathers,” the company stated, highlighting hundreds of direct and indirect jobs in the region.
However, sportfishing and conservation groups argue that industrial menhaden fishing threatens the Chesapeake Bay’s delicate ecosystem. Menhaden are processed into fishmeal and oil rather than consumed directly, a practice known as reduction fishing. Critics say this depletes the marine food chain, impacting predator species and the broader fishing economy. “Our anglers have long been concerned about large-scale reduction fishing in our fragile Chesapeake Bay,” said Steve Atkinson, chairman of the Virginia Saltwater Sportfishing Association. “We encourage President Trump to protect these critical forage fish and our fishing economy.”
Federal data underscores the stakes, with 2.3 million U.S. jobs and a $321 billion fishing economy potentially at risk from overfishing. In Virginia and Maryland, NOAA Fisheries reports that striped bass harvests have plummeted by more than half since the mid-2000s. A 2023 study in Frontiers in Marine Science linked declining osprey reproduction in the Chesapeake Bay—down to 0.6 chicks per active nest, below the 1.15 needed for sustainability—to reduced menhaden availability. “This is more than fishing,” said Capt. Michael “Red” Frenette, a Louisiana charter guide. “I’m speaking up for thousands of communities like mine. We’ve had enough.”
The campaign’s proposed executive order includes four directives: banning midwater trawls for forage species, ending reduction fishing of small bait fish, directing NOAA to manage forage fish for ecosystem health, and setting science-based catch targets to protect predator species. Organizers align their effort with Trump’s focus on economic nationalism and marine conservation, citing his April executive order expanding commercial fishing access in the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument to support U.S. jobs and counter foreign overfishing.
The controversy has roots in a 2021 lawsuit against Cooke Inc., Ocean Harvesters, and others, alleging misrepresentation to secure U.S. fishing permits. A federal judge dismissed the case in January, but plaintiffs appealed, arguing violations of the American Fisheries Act’s U.S. ownership rules. Ocean Harvesters maintains compliance, stating, “U.S.-owned fishing companies conduct all menhaden fishing, and vessels are crewed primarily by American fishermen.” The company also cites 2022 and 2024 assessments by the Atlantic and Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commissions, which found no overfishing of menhaden.
For Southern Maryland’s fishing communities, the campaign underscores the balance between economic tradition and ecological sustainability. As the Chesapeake Bay faces mounting pressures, the call for action resonates with local anglers and conservationists alike, who see menhaden fishing reform as vital to preserving their way of life.