re: More Menhaden Bullsh*t

Every time I open this thread I get so mad thinking about our Governor and a couple of other key politicians selling us out to Omega and Daybrook. Im really upset that we and many others across the state see what the problem is, but the people responsible for being stewards of the natural resource do nothing. It’s a public trust doctrine issue. These people are supposed to be trustees of the resource that belongs to the people of Louisiana, ensuring it is not wasted or abused and that no one abuses the resource to the detriment of others. We are all yelling at the politicians that we are being wronged, but they do nothing.

Allow me to let a nice little menhaden rant rip…

The removal of 1 billion lbs of forage fish from our ecosystem every year has collapsed populations of key fish like Tarpon and Sailfish. Our state has nothing to differentiate from others as a nice place to live beyond our culture and coastal ecosystem. And I would argue that the culture exists because of thriving coastal ecosystem. Our coast is no longer the premier place to recreate compared to our neighbors because they beat us in populations of many species now, Tarpon and Sailfish being just two of many. If we dont have the best fishing in the USA, the most productive coast in the USA, we shouldn’t expect our state to compete for residents successfully.

Limiting or ending the industrial extraction of menhaden in Louisiana is critical to our state’s future. If we do it we have a chance to thrive. If we continue to let these foreign protein companies extract our resource for free and without limit, we will continue to see declines in fish, bird, and other sea life populations on our coast.

Across most of the state there is zero sailfish or tarpon fishery. Imagine what kind of tourism and economy we would add if we had a premier tarpon and sailfish ecosystem? It’s possible and it’s how it used to be in the 1950s and 60s before the menhaden harvest ramped up. Think about the tarpon and sailfish fishing economy in Florida - we could have that here. The tournaments, the private investment in boats, camps, fuel, tackle, food, etc. Think about the charter businesses. From Lake Charles to past Fourchon the coast is barren, fully raped by the menhaden industry leaving no schools of menhaden for any of the fish that used to exist here to feed on them.

Further east there are some tarpon that come to Breton Sound from Mississippi, barely, but this wont last forever. As the biomass of menhaden in Breton is almost completely extracted every year, the number of tarpon returning every summer to feed will get smaller and smaller.

And this doesn’t even get into the impact on our trout and reds who feed on menhaden all summer during their spawn, depending on the rich oily nutrition for maximum fecundity and spawn success.

The pogy boats are the worst thing that has ever happened to our coast.

Very well said Wizard!

BGR- BGR Group is the lobbying firm (a very good one) who often represents MFC and other commercial fishing industries in Washington.

Safe to say that everyone wants the same thing save for the politicians and corporations.

I see one of the biggest problems is people arguing over the best way to achieve the goal.

Stepping on each others dicks isn't going to help fix the problem.

I'd suggest everyone work together an put pressure on the politicians.

Apologies, his alleged cousin Ben Landry is the lobbyist and former Mary Landrieu staffer

Not to be confused with his actual brother, Ben Landry, the one who got tied up the H2B Visa scandal running illicit labor through construction sites across South Louisiana instead of hiring local/American workers.

Regardless, a Landry is not helping to effectuating change to the Pogie industry. (not to disparage the good Landrys )

Geyman does more harm than good for this state. He’ll keep lying just like most of them do.

Motorboat, thanks for proving my point again about CCA. If a blowhard like you does not know those initials (not acronyms) it shows how very little engaged CCA of Louisiana is with its members. These two groups have been at the forefront for many years lobbying for the Menhaden industry and a "well informed" member like you has no idea what or who these groups are.

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Jeff received huge campaign contributions from the menhaden companies and their owners

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Westbank Fishing LLC is a Francois Kuttel-managed, Daybrook-linked entity that both funded Protect Louisiana’s Children PAC at a six-figure level and appears directly in campaign finance reports for multiple members of the House Natural Resources and Environment Committee hearing HB 855.

PAC cluster around Protect Louisiana’s Children PAC is publicly operating for Jeff Landry

The same PAC report shows a concentrated donor cluster that is politically relevant to the menhaden fight:

- Westbank Fishing, LLC: $200,000.
- Robin and Associates: $350,000.
- Dan Robin, Jr.: $25,000.
- KV Enterprises LLC: $250,000.
- NORPAC LLC: $100,000.


Higher-priority House Natural Resources and Environment committee members:

- Brett Geymann (Chair)
- Westbank Fishing LLC gave $1000 on 8/19/2025
- Omega Protein gave $500 on 6/17/2025
- Earlier, Omega giving $1000 on 11/18/2025 and $500 on 9/1/2020
- A 2023 Geymann report also shows Westbank Fishing LLC in his contributor list

- Joseph Orgeron (Vice Chair/Bill Sponsor HB 855)
- Omega Protein appears in Orgeron-related ethics records, including a $2,500 political contribution dated 6/4/2020

- Timothy Kerner
- Westbank Fishing gave $6000 on 12/11/2025
- Omega Protein gave $500 on 4/11/2025

- R. Dewith Carrier
- A 2023 ethics report shows Westbank Fishing LLC in Carrier's contributor list

- Jerome Zeringue
- A 2023 ethics report show Westbank Fishing LLC in Zeringue's contributor list
- Zeringue also appears in ethics records tied to Omega Protein.

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bbvdd: Many groups work together. However, as I stated before no legit group, regardless of its' mission will work with CCA of Louisiana. It's credibility is shot.

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Credible or not, CCA LA has over 20k members and 30 chapters. You don't think that has political pull??

How many members does your group have?

get your head out of your arse.

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It does seem more important to him that CCA LA fail then the Manhaden BS be stopped. That's for sure.

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He starts it EVERY TIME and it can be easily proven by looking at his post history. I do not want to be the one to derail a thread, but I'm not going to sit idly by and let him run his mouth. I've been her for 20 years, FFS. When someone is being a dumbass, I'm gonna point it out and probaly not be nice about it. I will try and be the bigger man and not respond to Willy's BS.

A fact I learned this week while speaking to a state rep about this issue:

During the LWF hearing on the buffer the public submitted official public comments via email. There were almost 800 people who emailed in opposition to the buffer change to 1/4 mile. There were only 6 emails in support of the buffer change, and 5 came from the same email address.

This is a 99:1 issue!