October 2, 2026 — The debate over menhaden’s role in coastal ecosystems and fishing communities continues, as an industry group pushes back on claims linking commercial harvest to predator declines and questions arguments about the fishery’s economic value.
The American Small Pelagics Network (ASPN), which represents fishermen, processors, suppliers, and communities connected to fisheries including menhaden, responded to a Sept. 22 Washington Examiner op-ed by Forage Fish Campaign executive director Whit Fosburgh. In its response, ASPN challenged several of Fosburgh’s arguments surrounding menhaden management, predator needs, commercial fishing jobs, and the ownership of Omega Protein.
The response comes as menhaden management remains under scrutiny on both the Atlantic and Gulf coasts and as new research into Chesapeake Bay osprey reproduction has added another layer to the debate.