Osprey Nest Failures Signal a Crisis and Spark Menhaden-Harvest Debate

In 2023, William & Mary biologists inspected 167 Osprey nests in Mobjack Bay and nearby rivers; only 17 held live chicks. Most failures occurred within the first two weeks after hatching, a critical period for chick survival.

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Osprey rebounded after the 1972 DDT ban, reaching 10,000-12,000 breeding pairs in the Chesapeake Bay. Their diet depends on high-fat Atlantic menhaden, whose recent decline coincides with the current drop in Osprey productivity.

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Key voices include Bryan Watts and Michael Academia of William & Mary’s Center for Conservation Biology, Omega Protein (the dominant menhaden harvester), the Southern Maryland Recreational Fishing Organization, Chesapeake Legal Alliance director David Reed, and National Audubon Society’s Remy Moncrieffe.

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Researchers recorded 167 nests with 17 fledglings. Omega Protein and partner Ocean Harvesters harvest roughly 244 million menhaden annually; state regulators have cut Chesapeake quotas to under one-third historic levels. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission found no 2022 evidence of overfishing.

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Osprey act as sentinel species; their poor breeding may signal broader stress affecting Northern Gannets, Brown Pelicans, Great Blue Herons, and striped bass, which also rely on menhaden as a key forage resource.

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Omega Protein cited its 2019 MSC certification, noted it has not fished in Mobjack Bay for decades, and said no scientific evidence directly links menhaden availability to Osprey nest failures. Virginia’s fisheries regulator rejected the anglers’ petition to further reduce the quota, while the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission maintains that current harvest levels are scientifically justified.

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The Richmond and National Audubon Societies have urged a temporary ban on large-mesh nets and a menhaden population study. The Southern Maryland Recreational Fishing Organization sued Virginia’s regulator, arguing that current quotas inadequately protect wildlife and that menhaden depletion harms multiple predator species.

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Researchers attribute nest failures to menhaden scarcity, yet the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission reports no overfishing evidence, and Omega Protein disputes any causal link. No direct menhaden stock assessments exist for the Chesapeake, leaving a critical data gap.

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• “It was a catastrophic failure,” — Bryan Watts, Director, William & Mary Center for Conservation Biology

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• “There’s no question that there’s not enough menhaden to support the Osprey right now,” — Bryan Watts

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• “Most of the nests failed within the first two weeks of hatching, the critical part when they need the food,” — Michael Academia, Researcher, William & Mary Center for Conservation Biology

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• “It’s as much about Osprey populations as any other predator species,” — David Reed, Executive Director, Chesapeake Legal Alliance

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Watts and Academia will track male Osprey hunting time in 2024 to gauge menhaden abundance. The anglers’ lawsuit proceeds, and policymakers face pressure to further cut quotas or adopt buffer zones like Louisiana’s half-mile restriction.

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