The Virginia General Assembly in Richmond officially passed 14 budget amendments Monday to the commonwealth’s $205 billion biennial budget. Among the amendments was one earmarking $2 million for a comprehensive study on Atlantic menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay.
Legislators had presented a proposed budget to Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger on June 22 that did not include funds for the study. This prompted political finger pointing from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) at Omega Protein Inc. and Ocean Harvesters, the Reedville firms involved in the only large reduction menhaden fishery on the Atlantic coast.
CBF accused the Reedville firms of using “political pressure” to persuade legislators not to approve research funding in the state budget. Promptly, Omega Protein and Ocean Harvesters issued a news release adamantly denying the use of “political pressure” to discourage funding of menhaden research.
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