SENIOR PROJECT OVERVIEW

DIRECTIONS: Explain each area in 35 to 50 words.

Name: Lucas Anderton

Title of Project: Menhaden Conservation Seminar

Title of Research Paper: Something Smells Fishy: The Overfishing and Gross Mismanagement
of the Atlantic Menhaden

Synopsis of Research Paper:

The Atlantic menhaden, or Brevoortia tyrannus, is a species crucial to the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem and
the Virginia economy. Fishermen and scientists believe the species is being mismanaged and have
advocated for stricter regulations and smaller catch limits, but the stock assessment accepted among the
Virginia legislature has stated time and time again, the species is not being overfished. Hundreds of millions
of dollars in economic activity rely on the Bay ecosystem, and without the Atlantic menhaden, the
ecosystem could suffer and the economy too.

Project Description:
The Menhaden Conservation seminar was an informational presentation held in the National Geographic
Theater at the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center. It was a panel presentation with three
professional speakers: Mark Swingle from the Virginia Aquarium, Joseph Gordon from Pew Trusts, and
Steven Epstein from Chesapeake Bay Defenders. I began the presentation with a speech about the process
of writing the research paper and told everyone how I became interested in the topic. Then I passed it off
to Mark Swingle, who talked about the biology of the Atlantic menhaden. After Mark, Joseph spoke about
the menhadens role in the Chesapeake Bay. Once Joseph was finished, Steven spoke about the more
political aspect, since Chesapeake Bay Defenders is a political action committee. He talked about Omega
Proteins role in the General Assembly and the lobbying power of that company. We finished with a
question and answer period and the entire presentation was about an hour and a half.

Relationship between Project and Paper:

My research paper was about the gross mismanagement and potential overfishing of the Atlantic menhaden
in the Chesapeake Bay. My project was an informational session about the species and had a panel of
professionals who all addressed the issue of overfishing in their own respective fields. The biggest issue
behind the mismanagement of the Atlantic menhaden is that most people do not even know the fish exists,
nonetheless that it plays such an important role in the Virginia environment and is being mismanaged. I
used the project as a medium to inform people about the importance of the fish, so that the issues in my
paper can be resolved, one small step at a time.

My background experience in the area:

A few years back, my mom and brother got involved with a group called Chesapeake Bay Defense
Foundation (now called Chesapeake Bay Defenders). Occasionally, I would tag along for the meetings. I
quickly became intrigued by the Atlantic menhaden and frustrated with the mismanagement on the
government level. I realized that so many people, even people who live in the Bayfront communities, dont
know the fish exists and dont seem to care. I wanted to change that!
Special things Id like judges to consider and look for:
Some of the things I would like the judges to consider are that almost 100 people sat in a 90-minute
presentation about a fish! When you give people even a brief overview of the issue, even they become
passionate about it! I would also like for the judges to consider that I had two people, one speaker and one
representative to pass out literature for Pew outside the theater, travel over five hours to attend my
presentation. They cared enough about the project to make the trek down to Hampton Roads from Northern
Maryland!