IGFA President Jason Schratwieser on Why Menhaden Management Is Everyone's Fight

For over a decade, the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) has pushed for ecosystem-based fisheries management that accounts not just for the game fish anglers chase, but for the forage base that sustains them. As menhaden populations face mounting pressure from industrial reduction fishing, IGFA has emerged as a vocal advocate for stronger protections, arguing that the health of species like striped bass, tarpon, and billfish depends on it. We spoke with IGFA President Jason Schratwieser about why forage fish management matters, what's at stake economically and ecologically, and what anglers and coastal communities can do to get involved

IGFA has been a leading voice on gamefish conservation for decades. How does the forage fish issue fit into the broader mission of the organization, and what led you to join the Forage Fish Campaign coalition?

The IGFA has been working on forage fish issues for over a decade. Over the last several decades, there has been a push for ecosystem-based fisheries management over traditional single-species-based management. Understanding the linkages between game fish and what they feed on is fundamental to this approach. So, while we definitely have an interest in the higher rungs of the food chain, we also understand that you can't ignore what's going on at the bottom.

You've stated that menhaden fishing for reduction purposes should be banned. Can you explain why menhaden are so vital to the species IGFA members prioritize most — striped bass, tarpon, and billfish?

So many species prey on these exceptionally nutrient-rich fish, and common sense dictates that we can't have vibrant recreational fisheries unless the species we pursue have an abundant forage base. Scooping up millions of these important fish and grinding them into pet food or aquaculture feed for export to foreign countries is not the best use of this important resource — both ecologically and economically. We are literally robbing our domestic fisheries for foreign export only to import lesser-grade products from other countries. This is easy math.

ASMFC recently approved just a 20 percent cut to the menhaden quota, even though scientists called for reductions of 50 percent or more. Recreational fishing supports 2.3 million American jobs and drives over $300 billion in annual economic impact. What's economically at risk if forage fish protections continue to fall short?

Short answer: a lot. There is a scientifically proven linkage between striped bass and menhaden. Striped bass are the iconic inshore species in the mid- and north Atlantic regions of the U.S. Without an abundant menhaden population, striped bass are unlikely to recover. This species alone generates substantial economic impact throughout its range from recreational fishing. And there are other important recreational and commercially important species that are dependent on healthy menhaden populations as well. You take away a key component of their forage base like menhaden, and these fisheries suffer — and so do the economies that depend on them.

Coastal fishing is a deeply rooted part of America's heritage. What does protecting forage fish mean for the future of that tradition, and what would you say to anglers and coastal business owners looking to get involved?

First of all, this isn't a commercial versus recreational fishing issue. This is an issue that affects fishing, period. Why should sustainable recreational and commercial fisheries suffer from the mismanagement of such an important prey species? Anglers should demand better management of menhaden, which not only entails how many can be sustainably harvested each year, but also how many need to be left in the water to fulfill their vital function in the marine ecosystem. Striped bass, tarpon, king mackerel, and the host of other species that prey on menhaden can't ask for more to be left in the water — but anglers and coastal businesses can and should.

IGFA represents anglers worldwide. Are the effects of forage fish decline showing up beyond U.S. waters, and what can America's approach to forage fish management offer as a model for other countries?

The IGFA is most definitely international in scope. And the issues we're seeing domestically with menhaden and other forage species aren't unique to the U.S. There are numerous examples of forage fish population collapses around the world due to overfishing. In my opinion, the U.S. has always been a leader in fisheries management. We have the ability to do the right thing for menhaden, the fish that depend on them, and the economies that depend on sustainable and vibrant recreational and commercial fisheries. Doing the right thing domestically not only helps ensure the future of our fisheries, it provides a compelling example to other countries of how proper management of forage fish equates to healthier fisheries, more jobs, and more revenue.