ALEXANDRIA, Va., May 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Atlantic
States Marine Fisheries Commission ("ASFMC") today received the
results of the latest Stock Assessment Workshop for Atlantic
menhaden at the Menhaden Board meeting in Alexandria, Virginia. Consistent with
the prior two ASMFC stock assessments reports in 2003 and 2006, the
new report concludes that the Atlantic menhaden stock is not
overfished and that overfishing is not occurring. A review
panel of independent experts concurred in these findings. The
Company believes that these results demonstrate that the Atlantic
menhaden is abundant and continues to be harvested at sustainable
rates.
"The findings of this stock assessment validate that Omega
Protein and other menhaden fishermen have been fishing in a manner
that does not negatively impact the sustainability of the menhaden
fishery," said Omega Protein Senior Fisheries Biologist
Ron Lukens. He added, "We
believe that the menhaden fishery should continue to be managed
based on the best available science and not conjecture, speculation
and innuendo." Lukens also noted that the assessment did not
take into account any data from 2009, which is thought to show a
strong year class of young menhaden.
An important finding from the external review panel was that the
assessment results are consistent with a single, coast-wide stock
of menhaden and not a localized sub-stock as some have speculated.
The panel's report concluded that assessing the stock at a
sub-regional level (i.e. only in the Chesapeake Bay) "would
be meaningless from a biological point of view" and "would be of no
use in making sensible management decisions" and that setting sub
regional quotas "could not sensibly be done by conducting sub
regional assessments (and setting sub regional quotas on the basis
of the assessments)." Although some activists have called for
separate management of menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay, the Company
believes that the current report confirms other studies from prior
years showing that Atlantic menhaden are part of a single
coast-wide stock that ranges along the entire coast from
Florida to Maine.
A copy of the summary stock assessment report is available at
http://www.asmfc.org/speciesDocuments/menhaden/reports/stockAssessments/menhaden2010StockAssessmentOverview.pdf
About Omega Protein
Omega Protein Corporation (NYSE: OME) is the nation's largest
manufacturer of heart-healthy fish oils containing Omega-3 fatty
acids for human consumption, as well as specialty fish meals and
fish oil used as value-added ingredients in aquaculture, swine and
other livestock feeds. Omega Protein makes its products from
menhaden, an Omega-3 rich fish that is not currently utilized as
seafood, but which is abundantly available along the U.S.
Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic
Coasts.
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: The
statements contained in this press release that are not historical
facts are forward-looking statements or beliefs that involve a
number of risks and uncertainties. The actual results of
future events described in any of these forward-looking statements
could differ materially from those stated in the forward-looking
statements. These and other factors are described in further
detail in Omega's filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, including its reports on Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and Form
8-K. The Company also posts its latest internally generated
price list for various products on its Company website,
www.omegaproteininc.com. Pricing and product availability
information disclosed in the price list are subject to change or
discontinuance without prior notice and the Company undertakes no
obligation to update such information
SOURCE Omega Protein Corporation