US fishing giant catch share drops 20 percent; vessel reductions coming

The news could have been worse, but it was not good for Omega Protein, the largest fishmeal and oil producer in the United States.

On Friday, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) handed out its  menhaden quota.

The total allocation is 20 percent lower than the average landings of Menhaden for between 2009-2011, which means a significant reduction in resource for Omega Protein.

"The 20 percent cut represents a surprising amount considering the lack of reliable data that the commission had at their disposal," Ben Landry, director of public affairs for Omega Protein, told IntraFish.

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