I am the Chair of the Advocacy Committee of the  Northern Virginia Bird Alliance, 5,500-member chapter of the National Audubon Society whose members live in the counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William, Stafford, Spotsylvania, and Rappahannock, and the cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, Fairfax, Vienna, Manassas, Manassas Park, and Leesburg, 

 

On behalf of NVBA, I urge you to vote for the moratorium, which will protect the Chesapeake Bay's stock of menhaden and stop the starvation of Ospreys in the lower Chesapeake. 

 

The largest population of Osprey on the planet is located in the Chesapeake Bay. However, that population is in serious danger because nesting failures are greater than at any time since records have been kept, including during the "Silent Spring" era of widespread DDT spraying. Menhaden are the principal food of Osprey in the lower Chesapeake, and the widespread starvation of chicks and adults has been linked to the lack of availability of menhaden.

 

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission released a stock assessment in October 2025 finding that the Atlantic Coast menhaden population was 37% smaller than the previous assessment, indicating a rapid decline in the population. The steep decline in the menhaden population has implications for the entire Chesapeake Bay ecosystem. Menhaden are a high protein forage fish that are at the bottom of the food chain. Many marine species rely on them, including striped bass (rockfish), bluefish, summer flounder and other species sought by both commercial and recreational fishing. The reduction in the number of menhaden is hurting catches of these fish, harming the livelihoods of commercial fishing operations, including day boats catering to recreational fishing parties.  The entire Bay ecosystem is threatened by the loss of menhaden.

 

In addition, the reduction in menhaden may become permanent if  the population reaches a tipping point from which it cannot recover. Shad used to be fished from the Potomac River in huge quantities -- up to 50,000 tons in one 8-week migration run. It used to be said that the supply of shad was inexhaustible -- but it wasn't. Shad were overfished, and they have never recovered despite years of efforts. Similarly, the Northwest Atlantic Cod fishery has collapsed because of overfishing and is likely to  never recover. We need to adopt a moratorium on menhaden reduction fishing until we fully understand the menhaden population and determine a sustainable level of taking or we risk losing that fish forever.