A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 1 of Chapter 11 of Title 28.2 a section numbered 28.2-1102.1, relating to Virginia Institute of Marine Science; Atlantic Menhaden Research Fund established; report.
Summary
SB 474 creates the Atlantic Menhaden Research Fund in the state treasury and directs the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), working with the Virginia Marine Resources Commission, to use the fund to conduct research and prepare an annual report on Atlantic menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay. The research is intended to support a scientifically defensible and ecologically meaningful harvest limit for menhaden, and the report must address seasonal abundance, movement between the Atlantic coast and the Bay, predator demand and consumption, commercial fishing effort patterns, and the possibility of localized depletion.
The bill also requires the Menhaden Management Advisory Committee, in consultation with the Department of Workforce Development and Advancement, to add analysis of workforce impacts from changes to total allowable catch and to recommend retraining and support for affected workers. VIMS must submit annual progress, findings, recommendations, and a proposed spending plan to legislative committees and relevant state and interstate marine management bodies beginning in 2027. The bill further allows VIMS to rely on prior menhaden research planning and the SCEMFIS research roadmap when preparing the required report.
Impact
If enacted, SB 474 would add a new section to Title 28.2 of the Code of Virginia establishing a dedicated, nonreverting special fund for Atlantic menhaden research and authorizing expenditures only for the purposes set out in the bill. It would expand the statutory role of VIMS in menhaden science and reporting, create an ongoing annual reporting obligation, and formally involve the Menhaden Management Advisory Committee and workforce officials in evaluating economic and employment effects tied to catch limits. The bill would affect state marine resource management, fisheries policy, and potentially future regulatory decisions regarding menhaden harvest in the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean.
Sentiment
The available vote history suggests broad support in committee, with the bill continuing to the next session on a unanimous 14-0 vote in Finance and Appropriations. The text of the bill indicates a policy approach focused on scientific study, stakeholder collaboration, and planning for economic impacts rather than immediate regulatory restriction. No committee transcript is available, but the recorded vote and the bill’s research-oriented structure point to generally favorable treatment.
Contention
The main areas of potential contention are the appropriate level of menhaden harvest in the Chesapeake Bay, whether localized depletion is occurring, and how predator demand should be weighed against commercial fishing activity. The bill explicitly recognizes differing interests by requiring collaboration with recreational anglers, the reduction and bait fishery sectors, and nongovernmental organizations, suggesting that these groups may hold competing views on conservation and harvest limits. Workforce impacts are also a notable issue, because changes to catch limits could affect fishing-related jobs and prompt debate over retraining and support measures.
Virginia Institute of Marine Science; study of the cumulative impacts of surface water intakes on aquatic fauna and water quality in the Chesapeake Bay and its major Virginia tributaries; report.