May 15, 2026 — A debate over Atlantic menhaden management in the Chesapeake Bay intensified this week after critics pushed back against a recent statement from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation accusing regulators of delaying protections for the species.
The dispute centers on a May 5 decision by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) to postpone public comment on Draft Addendum II, a technically complex proposal involving potential changes to menhaden management measures.
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation described the move as a failure to address “dire warning signs” in the Bay, including “starving osprey chicks” and “plummeting bait catches.” But opponents argue the organization is overstating the science and unfairly blaming the commercial menhaden fishery for broader environmental challenges.