In the past, ospreys were the canary in the coal mine. Research on their failure to breed led to the discovery that toxic pesticides were causing the demise of many other bird species including the American eagle. Their breeding is again threatened with the most likley cause overfishing of menhaden in the lower Potomac and Chesapeake. Only 2 out of some 80 breeding pairs successfully hatched chicks that survived. That points to a profound alteration of our ecosystem. We must put a moratorium on such fishing until there is proof that it is not negatively affecting our environment and wildlife. Three years is too long to wait.