Following reports of osprey chicks starving in areas of the Chesapeake Bay where they depend on menhaden for food, a workgroup tackling the issue gave its initial report to the East Coast’s fishery managers Oct. 22.
It was the first update the workgroup provided to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) since it was established in August 2024. The workgroup’s formation came after scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) presented the latest data for osprey abundance and nesting failure in the Chesapeake Bay and along the Atlantic Coast.
ASMFC charged the workgroup with considering management actions, including time and area closures for Chesapeake Bay menhaden fisheries, that would protect important fish and bird predators that rely on menhaden for food.
USGS researchers noted that the generally accepted reproductive rate for osprey population maintenance is 1.15 young for each active nest. In 2021, the average number of osprey young per nest was 0.3, setting the Bay’s osprey population on a declining trajectory. This corroborates data from the College of William & Mary’s Center for Conservation Biology, which revealed failing osprey nests in menhaden-dependent areas of the Bay.
Osprey are one of many species that depend on the small, nutrient-packed fish for food. Menhaden also feed striped bass, dolphins, and humpback whales.
But the ASMFC’s current ecosystem model bases menhaden fishing limits only on what's required to feed a healthy striped bass population. Whether these limits are sufficient to feed a growing population of osprey is unknown.
The colossal industrial menhaden fishery is based in Virginia. However, scientific data on the impact on industrial menhaden fishing on the Chesapeake Bay is lacking, necessitating precautionary action to protect ospreys and other wildlife currently suffering from insufficient forage.
According to this week’s update, the menhaden workgroup is in need of additional time to collect and review pertinent life history data for fish and bird species of interest to develop time and area closures in response to the Board’s request. The workgroup is expected to present its final findings in spring 2025.
Chris Moore, Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) Virginia Executive Director, issued the following statement:
“We know that ospreys are starving in their nests in areas of the Chesapeake Bay where they depend on menhaden for food. Regardless of the cause, fisheries managers must take action to prevent further tragedy. ASMFC should limit menhaden fishing when and where osprey most depend on them for food.
“The establishment of the ASMFC Menhaden Board Workgroup is a step in the right direction, but the workgroup must redouble its focus on the task at hand to develop meaningful precautionary measures prior to the spring ASMFC meeting. More needs to be done to ensure the long-term health of menhaden and their key role in the food chain. Additionally, Virginia must fully fund a study of the impacts of the menhaden fishery on the Bay’s ecosystem.”
Virginia Communications & Media Relations Manager, CBF
[email protected]
804-258-1567
