More on the Menhaden Cap

Below is an article from Sunday's Washington Post that discusses the Menhaden cap.

Frozen FishingA proposal to cap harvests of a single fish in the Chesapeake Bay is a good compromise -- for now.

Sunday, August 6, 2006; B06

NOBODY REALLY knows what's happening to the Chesapeake Bay's menhaden, a small, bony fish that cleans the bay's water, props up its ecosystem and provides humans with valuable omega-3 fatty acid extract from its oil. Environmentalists say that overfishing might be devastating the bay's stocks. Virginia's commercial menhaden fishers counter that the sparse data on the bay's fish population don't prove any dangerous drop. But thanks to the good efforts of Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) last week, both sides agree that it's time for a real scientific study to determine what's happening to the bay's menhaden.

The governor's plan, which still requires the General Assembly's okay, is to cap menhaden fishing in the bay for five years while area scientists complete research on the local population of the species. The proposed cap is a modest limit of 109,000 metric tons annually -- about the average menhaden catch for the last five years. The idea is to keep harvesting constant while studies are underway, both to measure what effects the current level of fishing is doing to menhaden stocks and to prevent increases in harvesting in case early indications of stock depletion are true.

Critically, the primary menhaden fishing company, Omega Protein Corp., has signed on to the plan along with local environmentalists. Omega helped defeat a slightly lower cap proposed this year by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, which oversees fishing on the East Coast. But the company says it supports the new cap, probably in part because the federal government might have shut down all Chesapeake menhaden fishing operations if Virginia failed to act. With the company's support, we hope that the legislature will quickly approve Mr. Kaine's cap. We also trust that the research -- which requires the company's participation in counting bay menhaden -- will proceed smoothly.

As productive as the governor's proposal is, however, it is only a short-term band-aid to what may be a long-term environmental crisis. If studies confirm that depleted menhaden schools are not as able to clean the water as thoroughly they used to, contributing to the bay's environmental decline, Virginia will require something more than a modest harvesting cap to repair the problem.

© 2006 The Washington Post Company

Chesapeake Bay Menhaden Harvest Cap Announced

First Landing State Park, VA – Delegate Robert J. Wittman attended a press conference held on Monday, July 31, by Governor Timothy M. Kaine announcing a proposal to set an annual cap on the harvest of menhaden from the Chesapeake Bay.

Delegate Robert J. Wittman offered the following statement on today’s actions by the Governor:

“Today I stood with Governor Kaine as he announced the Virginia proposal to the Atlantic States Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) for resolving the menhaden catch limit issue. This proposal is a milestone in the realm of fishery management decisions involving menhaden. Omega Protein, the sport fishing community, the environmental community and other Atlantic coast states fisheries managers have all come together in agreement on this proposal for the Atlantic States Fisheries Commission. It is my sincere hope that the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission will adopt this proposal in lieu of the proposal from the Atlantic Menhaden Management Board. I believe that this proposal ensures the long term sustainability of the Chesapeake Bay menhaden population and is in the best interest of Omega Protein, the sport fishing community and the Chesapeake Bay. I intend to introduce legislation for the Virginia General Assembly to adopt these measures as soon as I am able and I will work with the House and Senate leadership to ensure that this happens.”

The proposal announced by the Governor today is consistent with goals set in a recent fishery management plan adopted by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC).

This proposal is supported by both the menhaden industry and leaders within the environmental community. The proposed annual cap on menhaden harvested from the Chesapeake Bay for industrial purposes is 109,020 metric tons, which is based upon the average annual harvest from 2001-2005.

This proposal also allows for a one-year “credit” to be granted for the year immediately following a fishing season when catches are below the 109,020 metric-ton cap. The credits are limited so that no harvest shall go above 122,740 metric tons.

The proposal also includes an agreement for the state of Virginia and Omega Protein to work together on menhaden-related research and federal funding for that research.

Legislative Update: August 7, 2006

As I talk to folks throughout the 99th district I hear a very common question – “Rob what can be done to get high speed or broadband internet access to our area?” County officials throughout the 99th district are working diligently to push high-speed and broadband internet providers to offer services in their counties. Many of these providers are using microwave transmission in addition to the traditional wired internet through phone and cable television lines. These efforts have been moving along well but they must have a backbone system to work from to provide access to all citizens in the 99th district.

During this past General Assembly there was considerable discussion about providing the same opportunity to accelerate high-speed and broadband access for the Northern Neck, Middle Peninsula and Eastern Shore as had been provided for Southwest Virginia. That opportunity was to provide state funding for the preliminary engineering and right of way acquisition for extending the broadband “backbone” into these areas. I had the opportunity to work with the Delegates Harvey Morgan and Lynwood Lewis and others representing interest from their districts to fight to maintain funding for this project.

In the recently adopted budget there was $1.4 million in 2007 fiscal year for preliminary engineering and right of way acquisition for extending broadband "backbone" to the Eastern Shore, Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula.

Another $1.0 million was provided to support community and regional planning efforts for identifying "last mile" strategies for the deployment of broadband in communities. These funds will be used to identify and aggregate demand and document the most appropriate technology to deliver broadband service to the end user.

Additionally, I introduced House Bill 400 that proposed to add a provision in the Governor's Development Opportunity Fund to allow grants or loans for the purpose of installing, extending, or increasing the capacity of high-speed or broadband internet access for new businesses locating in rural areas. This bill passed and also requires that the Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority review and evaluate existing industrial sites and infrastructure that will provide broadband or high-speed internet access to rural and underserved areas of the Commonwealth.

So in this session of the General Assembly we provided money to plan the provision of high-speed and broadband internet access to all citizens in the 99th district and to leverage existing dollars to provide this access to businesses that look to locate in our region. This effort will allow high-speed and broadband internet providers to more quickly and efficiently build their networks in our region.

If you would like further information on this subject, or if I can be of assistance in other ways please feel free to contact my district office; by phone, 804-493-0508, or email, robwittman@verizon.net. Additional information on legislation that I introduced this year is available on my website, www.delegatewittman.com, within the legislation section.

Sales Tax Holiday

I thought this press release from the Department of Taxation may be something of interest. Please help spread the word.


COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA Department of Taxation

Tax Department Extends Customer Service Hours to Answer Sales Tax Holiday Questions
~ Virginia’s First Sales Tax-Free ‘Holiday’ Set for Aug. 4-6 ~


RICHMOND, VA – The Virginia Department of Taxation is extending its customer service hours to answer questions about Virginia’s first sales tax holiday, which occurs Friday, Aug. 4 through Sunday, Aug. 6.

Tax Department customer service representatives will be prepared to answer questions about the sales tax holiday until 9 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 4, and from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 5.

The number to call is (804) 367-8037. The Department will be closed on Sunday, Aug. 6. For further details about the “holiday,” check the agency’s special sales tax holiday Web site -- http://www.tax.virginia.gov/salestaxholiday.

“We want to make sure people who still have questions about the sales tax holiday get the information they need to take advantage of this opportunity,” said Tax Commissioner Janie Bowen. A sales tax holiday is a temporary period when the retail sales tax is not collected or payable on exempted items.

Virginia’s General Assembly unanimously approved the state’s first sales tax holiday earlier this year. During Virginia’s “holiday,” retailers will not charge the 5 percent sales tax on selected school supplies priced at $20 or less per item, or on clothing and footwear priced at $100 or less per article or pair. An all-inclusive list of school supplies and a representative list of clothing qualifying for the exemption are available on the sales tax holiday Web site. Retailers who sell the exempted items are required to participate in the sales tax holiday.

Anyone who wants to purchase tax-free school supplies, clothing or footwear may do so during the three-day “holiday.” There is no requirement that items purchased be intended for school-related purposes.

Businesses may also voluntarily “absorb” the sales tax for customers on non-exempt items they sell during the three-day period. However, retailers who absorb the sales tax on non-exempt items must pay the sales tax to the Commonwealth. This means that all retailers have the opportunity to participate in the sales tax holiday.

The ”holiday” is expected to save shoppers about $3.6 million in retail sales tax. The three-day “holiday” will take place each year beginning on the first Friday in August and ending at midnight on the following Sunday.

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