The christening of two menhaden steamers came on the heels of the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration and Omega Protein.
The menhaden fishery has been on thin ice with Gov. Youngkin’s office since summer when there was an Omega Protein purse net tear resulting in thousands of dead fish washing up on the Chesapeake Bay shoreline. Virginia’s Kiptopeke State Park closed for recreational use during part of July, a peak month for beach tourism.
In response thousands of sport fishermen, waterfront landowners and representatives of the state’s tourism economy petitioned Gov. Youngkin to close the fishery down.
