Menhaden fishing is one of America's oldest industries. Legend has it that, as early as the 1620's, the Indians taught the Pilgrims the value of burying menhaden in each hill of corn for fertilizer.
Omega Protein can trace its roots back to John Haynie, who was the second person of European descent to settle among the Indians on Virginia's Northern Neck in the 1840's. Some time later, in 1878, John A. Haynie and his younger brother Thomas set up a primitive fish processing operation on the Haynie family property in Reedville, Virginia - today the site of Omega Protein's largest plant.
In 1903, the John A Haynie company, as it was then called, became Haynie, Snow & company. The name was changed to Reedville Oil & Guano company in 1913, and was changed again in 1968 to Haynie Products, Inc.
The commercial menhaden fishing industry as a whole can be traced back to the early 1800's when it was discovered that the fish were useful, not only as fertilizer, but also for their oil. In some areas, they were even eaten by the local populace. Some people still consume them today, but the bony, oily fish, which occurs in great abundance, generally is not considered a choice fish for eating.
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