Menhaden: The Chesapeake's Unsung Hero

Atlantic menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus) are small, nutrient-packed fish that are central to the Chesapeake Bay's food chain. Hear from anglers about how menhaden are crucial for recreational finishing, and learn how they even attract whales to Chesapeake waters. After 25 years of advocacy by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and many partners, in October 2020 the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission committed to a new approach to managing the menhaden fishery that takes into account their role in food chain.

Learn more about the "most important fish in the Bay."