Demand the Science Necessary for Better Management of the Chesapeake’s Menhaden!

As the very foundation of the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem, menhaden are keystone species serving as all-important food for iconic Bay creatures like striped bass, osprey, marine mammals, and more. A healthy Bay with abundant fish and wildlife populations along with plenty of fishing and other recreational opportunities is only possible when there are sufficient forage fish, like menhaden. But for far too long, the critical science needed to make informed decisions about the Chesapeake's menhaden has been delayed due to industry interference.

What is the current health of the Chesapeake Bay's menhaden population and how are factors such as predators, climate change, and industrial fishing affecting them? Are starving osprey and reduced commercial landings linked to a dwindling menhaden population? These are some of the things we need to know to make wise decisions about the management of this critical species.

Despite their importance to the Bay's ecosystem, menhaden face intense pressure from one industrial fishing behemoth named Omega Protein, a subsidiary of international conglomerate Cooke, Inc. This foreign-owned company sucks up more than 100 million pounds of these valuable fish a year from the Chesapeake Bay and "reduces" them into fish meal and oil for pet food, salmon feed, and more. Much remains unknown about the impacts of this industrialized harvest within the Bay.

This lack of menhaden science leaves far too many questions unanswered. What's more, by opposing important research and not providing their catch data, Omega Protein once again proves they are not acting in good faith for the Chesapeake Bay, but rather only for their own pockets.

For many years, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP) have been advocating tirelessly for this vital keystone species, due to its importance to a variety of commercially and recreationally important species such as striped bass, red drum, and cobia. Stand with CBF, TRCP, and countless others in demanding the science needed in managing this critical fish! A healthy Bay, recreational opportunities, and our economy depend on it. Sign our petition today.