Updated on February 18th, 2026.

Osprey Catching Atlantic Menhaden. Photo Courtesy of iStock.

Atlantic menhaden are critical forage fish that maintain the health of our Chesapeake Bay. Menhaden are a big food source for many native wildlife, including striped bass and ospreys. Menhaden consume microscopic, plankton-like organisms, transferring key fats and nutrients to larger predators. Local communities, businesses, and people rely heavily on menhaden to support jobs and sustain local tourism.

Menhaden are at serious risk. Virginia is the only state along the Atlantic coast that still allows reduction fishing, catching, and grinding millions of wild menhaden into fishmeal and fish oil. There are rising concerns about whether this level of fishing is sustainable and how it’ll affect the health of the Chesapeake Bay, especially as species like osprey that feed on menhaden are rapidly declining. The lack of menhaden science in the Chesapeake Bay makes it even more difficult to understand the impacts on wildlife, communities, and fisheries. Without the needed science guiding the harvest of menhaden, menhaden will continue to be depleted and, as a result, risk the health of the Chesapeake Bay.

You can take a deeper dive into managing and conserving menhaden in Our Common Agenda. To learn more, read our “Rebuilding Healthy Fisheries” policy paper.

Legislators have introduced several bills related to menhaden management:

Unfortunately, all bills to protect Menhaden populations were defeated before crossover. See the real time updates from Virginia’s Legislative Information System (LIS) on the bill tracker below: