Atlantic States Commission cuts Chesapeake Bay menhaden cap to 5 million pounds

Atlantic fisheries managers on Tuesday voted to lower the cap on industrial menhaden fishing in the Chesapeake Bay, cutting the coastwide limit by roughly nine percent at the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s annual meeting in Newport, Rhode Island. The Menhaden Management Board set the new limit at about 5.0 million pounds for the 2025‑26 season, down from the 5.5 million‑pound ceiling that has been in place since 2022. The change applies to all commercial vessels that harvest menhaden for fish‑meal, fish‑oil and bait, but it stops short of the deeper coastwide reductions that some scientists have called for.

The decision comes amid mounting concern that menhaden, a keystone filter‑feeder, are essential to the Bay’s water quality and food web. Menhaden consume large amounts of phytoplankton and help clear the water, supporting oyster reefs and other marine life. Over the past decade, the Chesapeake Bay’s menhaden population has been flagged as “overfished” by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, prompting calls for stricter limits. Environmental groups argue that even the modest nine‑percent cut does not address the cumulative pressure from industrial harvests, which have risen as demand for sustainable protein sources grows. Industry representatives, however, say the reduction balances ecological needs with the livelihoods of thousands of workers in the fish‑meal sector.

The board said it will monitor the fishery closely and assess stock health through annual surveys. If the data show continued decline, additional cuts could be considered at the next meeting in November 2027. Conservation groups plan to keep pressure on regulators, urging the commission to adopt science‑based quotas that reflect the species’ role in the Bay’s recovery. For now, the modest adjustment offers a tentative step toward stabilising menhaden numbers while allowing the industry to operate under a revised, but still viable, catch limit.