Ocean Harvesters

04/20/2026

Today marks the start of the 2026 Gulf fishing season. Wishing our team a safe and successful season ahead!

03/03/2026

A recent Baltimore Sun editorial pushed for a moratorium on menhaden fishing in the Chesapeake Bay, which would effectively amount to a shutdown of Virginia’s historic menhaden fishery. The editorial contained many inaccuracies using recycled claims from advocacy groups. We corrected the record in an op-ed published by the Sun this weekend. Here are the facts that we shared:

1) The science is clear that menhaden are not overfished, and the fishery is MSC-certified for sustainability.

2) Osprey reproduction challenges have been observed around the country, and scientists warn against attributing osprey population changes in the Bay to any one factor.

3) Declines in striped bass populations are due to overfishing by recreational interests and environmental factors, not menhaden harvesting.

4) New menhaden science is being conducted, but shutting down the fishery until this work is completed would be against standard fisheries management practices and would be economically reckless.

5) The idea that if the Bay is closed, fishermen can just harvest elsewhere betrays a lack of understanding of realities on the water and would unnecessarily harm working families.

6) The editorial got basic facts wrong, such as misidentifying the company that harvests the fish.

Reader commentary: A spokesman for a Virginia menhaden fishery pushes back on a Sun editorial that called for a moratorium on menhaden fishing.

02/25/2026

Please join us in recognizing and celebrating Black History Month. The menhaden fishing industry has long been supported by a strong African American workforce, a legacy that continues today. In many cases, families have worked in this industry for five and even six generations.

From crew members to captains, to leaders in our office, generations of Black families have played a vital role in building and sustaining our industry.

Happy Black History Month!

01/20/2026

Proud supporters of Northumberland Booster Club!

🎉 BIG NEWS for Northumberland High School! 🎉

The Northumberland Booster Club is proud to announce that Omega Protein and Ocean Harvesters have partnered with us to generously donate brand-new gymnasium scoreboards to the high school! 🏀👏

We were bursting at the seams with excitement to share this news at Northumberland Winter Homecoming, especially on a night when our Northumberland Indians Boys Basketball secured another WIN this season! 🏆💚💛

Support from local businesses like Omega Protein and Ocean Harvesters makes improvements like this possible. Their commitment to our school and community helps provide much-needed resources that directly benefit our students and staff. We are incredibly grateful for their generosity.

💡 Want to get involved?
• Interested in learning more about the Booster Club sponsorship program? Reach out!
• Want to be part of a small but mighty group of dedicated community members? Reach out!

We are here for our students and for bringing IndianNation Spirit back into our community — and this is just the beginning!

01/06/2026

Congratulations to our very own General Manager at our Moss Point, Mississippi facility, Andy Schmitz for being honored as the Moss Point 2026 River King

👑 Honoring Our 2026 River King 👑

Andy Schmitz is honored to serve as the 2026 River King for the Moss Point Mardi Gras celebration. Andy is the General Manager of Ocean Harvesters in Moss Point, where he oversees operations at both the Ocean Harvesters and Omega Protein facilities.

A dedicated member of the Ocean Harvesters team for 12 years, Andy began his career in the HR department before being promoted to General Manager—earning respect through leadership, consistency, and commitment.

Andy resides in Vancleave with his wife and their five children, and he is proud to represent the hardworking spirit and resilience of the Moss Point community. He extends sincere gratitude to the City of Moss Point and the Moss Point Main Street Association for the honor of being named 2026 River King.

Join us as we celebrate Andy during the Kings Parade on January 3, 2026. 💜💛💚

12/05/2025

Fact check: Scientists never called for a 54% cut in Atlantic Menhaden quota. The commission reviewed the data and opted for a conservative 20% reduction that still shows a 0% chance of overfishing.

In the weeks following the 2025 Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) annual meeting, a wave of statements from environmental and recreational fishing groups has told the public that Atlantic menhaden scientists “recommended” a 50 to 54 percent cut to the coastwide total allowable ...

12/03/2025

We were happy to shop with Nurse Haley today and support Northumberland County's students!

A huge THANK YOU to Ocean Harvesters!!
Our school nurse, Haley Deihl and our entire NES family are so grateful for their generous donation of medical supplies to our school clinic.
These supplies make a difference by ensuring our clinic is always prepared to support our students' health and well being!
NES appreciates Ocean Harvesters support for our students and staff!

11/27/2025

Happy Thanksgiving from our fishing family to yours! For 147 years, Ocean Harvesters has been proud to harvest menhaden sustainably and responsibly.

We’re thankful for our dedicated employees, their families, and the communities that support this industry.

Wishing everyone a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

11/11/2025

Today we honor all who have bravely served in the U.S. Armed Forces 🇺🇸

We’d like to give a special shoutout to the Veterans in our Ocean Harvesters fishing family, thank you for your service, sacrifice, and dedication.

Happy Veterans Day!
Monty Deihl, US Air Force
Andy Schmitz, US Coast Guard
Brandon George, US Navy
Alan Hinson, US Navy
Marty Daniels, US Coast Guard
Carl Lee, US Army
Jeb Morgan, US Army
Steven Shelton, US Coast Guard
Randy Conway, US Navy
Robert Young, US Air Force
Dalton Jewell, US Marine Corps
Sienna Allison, US Coast Guard
Trey Crowther, US Army
Jason Haislip, US Navy
Harvey Hamm, US Coast Guard
Darryl Raines Jr, US Army
Jeffrey Vanlandingham, US Navy
Ray White, US Army
Robert Williams, US Army
Robert Young Jr, US Air Force

10/27/2025

“It’s a high-paying job, good benefits, safe work environment.” “This job puts bread and butter on the table—it’s my life.” “It’s helped me break generational cycles.” Hear what the union fishermen of UFCW Local 400 have to say about what the menhaden fishery means to them:

UFCW Local 400 members talk about their experience fishing menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay.

10/21/2025

With 49 years in the fishing industry and proudly holding the title of Captain Tim Stevens since 1992, he has spent a lifetime dedicated to the water.
When asked what keeps him going after all these years, he shared:
“ I just love the freedom of being on the water, it’s different than any job on land. Every day is a new day with the promise of a different sunrise. There is nothing like it.”