July 21, 2026 — Massive schools of menhaden (also called baitfish) were spotted lining the shore of Southampton, New York, on July 17.
Aerial footage by drone pilot Joanna Steidle shows dense clusters of the fish swimming just off a beach on Long Island.
Steidle advised swimmers to avoid the areas where baitfish are congregating because larger predators often hunt there.
Menhaden are a keystone species and provide an essential food source for the coastal ecosystem, according to Steidle. Credit: Joanna Steidle via Storyful