MD survey finds menhaden abundant in Chesapeake Bay for third straight year

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WASHINGTON, D.C. (ACCESS Newswire) — The Maryland Department of Natural Resources released its 2025 Chesapeake Bay Young-of-Year Striped Bass Survey Results, and for the third year in a row, the news is clear: Atlantic menhaden remain widespread and abundant throughout the Bay.

According to DNR’s announcement, “Biologists captured more than 36,000 fish of 55 different species while conducting this year’s survey. Positive findings include three important forage species that were documented in abundance during the survey. Atlantic menhaden and bay anchovies were widespread in the Bay for the third consecutive year.”

This continues a strong trend observed in DNR’s 2024 and 2023 surveys. In last year’s results, the agency reported that “Menhaden abundance was nearly equal to last year, which was the highest measured since 1990.” This year’s menhaden result is the third highest since 1991.

These findings from Maryland DNR further confirm what scientists and fishery managers have said repeatedly: Atlantic menhaden are abundant and sustainably managed. Despite repeated claims to the contrary, science and state data show menhaden remain plentiful throughout the Chesapeake Bay and along the coast.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) has determined that menhaden are not overfished and overfishing is not occurring, and the fishery is certified sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council, the global standard for responsible fisheries.

In August and September of this year, Baltimore experienced three major fish kills, largely consisting of menhaden and totaling over 200,000 fish.

Striped bass reproduction remains below average

While the DNR’s findings are positive for key forage species like menhaden, bay anchovy, and Atlantic silversides, the survey also reported continuing struggles for striped bass reproduction. According to the agency, the 2025 young-of-year index for striped bass was 4.0, an improvement over recent years but still well below the long-term average of 11. “This marks the seventh consecutive year of below-average spawning success for striped bass,” DNR wrote.

As the ASMFC has documented, striped bass declines have been driven primarily by recreational overfishing, environmental changes, and disease, not by menhaden harvest levels.

A science-based picture of the bay

Forage fish like menhaden are important to the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem, serving as prey for species such as striped bass, bluefish, ospreys and marine mammals. Their abundance over three consecutive years underscores that the bay’s food web remains robust, and that the ecological reference points now used in menhaden management are effectively ensuring that enough fish remain in the water for predators.