What's happening to "one of the most important fish in the bay"?
- Safora Noor
- Jan 20
- 2 min read
Written by: Safora Noor
Last year, on September 4th, 25,000 menhaden fish washed up on the Baltimore Harbor. The event followed a smaller wave in August, where 1,700 dead menhaden washed up. The recent fish kills were attributed to algae blooms in the bay, worsened by the nutrient-rich stormwater runoff and warming waters. However, this isn’t just a coincidence. In 2024, around the same time, 24,000 menhaden washed up dead, and in 2012, the number was 25,000.
The species is thought to be one of the most important fish in the sea as they help filter waters and are a food source for many species, including the osprey and striped bass. In addition to the recent fish kills, reports have indicated that nearly three-quarters of the osprey pairs surveyed in the bay’s waters produced no offspring this year, with many of the chicks dying of hunger. This, along with some other research, indicates a decrease in the menhaden population, possibly leading to the struggles faced by other species in the bay.
To exacerbate matters, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASM
FC), which coordinates the conservation and management of shared coastal fishery resources, set the coastwide fishing limit for menhaden to 233,550 metric tons this year, an increase from 170,000 metric tons in 2013. These numbers raise concerns as the fish population is thought to be smaller than anticipated. The fish kills paired with the increasing fishing limit raise concerns about the health of the bay and sustainable fishing practices.
However, the topic remains controversial. Some argue that the exact menhaden population in the bay is difficult to determine, pushing back on claims linking the struggles of osprey to the menhaden fish population. Schools of menhaden arrive in the bay in spring; however, it is difficult to determine how many arrive, how long the species stays in the bay, and how the numbers change from year to year. To determine the number of menhaden fish in the bay and the exact impacts of the industrial fishing, a bill was proposed in the Virginia legislature this past year. Despite efforts from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and locals, the bill failed in the House of Delegates due to insufficient funding.
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), among others, is pushing for research on the ecological impact of industrial fishing on the menhaden. More recently, CBF advocated for a 50% decrease in the menhaden fishing limits. The organization sent numerous letters to ASMFC; however, the fishing limits were only decreased by 20%. ASMFC said it would revisit the topic in 2026 or 2027 to hash out if fishing limits need to be decreased.
As a keystone species, menhaden play a critical role in maintaining water quality and supporting the bay’s food web, meaning their decline could have far-reaching consequences for wildlife in the Bay and along the coast. The fish kills paired with the current fishing limits point to the urgent need to prevent stormwater runoff into the bay and work towards allocating more time and resources to assessing the wildlife in the watershed.
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