The Chesapeake Bay is the largest nursery on the Atlantic Coast for menhaden.
Heralded as "the most important fish in the sea," the Atlantic menhaden is a vital food source for many favorite Bay species—including striped bass, bluefish, bottlenose dolphins, osprey, and loons. Menhaden are also used in animal feeds, for human nutrition supplements, and as bait for blue crabs and lobster.
The low numbers of menhaden in the Bay, have been linked to an increase in chronic disease in Chesapeake striped bass and threaten the overall ecological health of the Bay.
Join the Chesapeake Bay Foundation—which has fought vigilantly for healthy rivers, clean streams, and a saved Chesapeake Bay for more than 50 years—in urging the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to ensure the protection of menhaden and all the different species that depend on it.
Act now!
