Chesapeake ospreys had their worst documented breeding season in 2026, with declines along the East Coast. Only 28% of saltwater study areas produced enough young to sustain populations, versus 93% of freshwater sites; menhaden’s link to the decline is unproven.
The 2026 survey covered 2,886 osprey pairs in 65 study areas across 10 Atlantic states. In the saltier Chesapeake reaches, 81% of nesting pairs failed to raise a chick; at some Chesapeake nests, ospreys brought home menhaden more than 80% less often than in the 1980s. In fresher waters, they can also eat catfish and gizzard shad.
Virginia receives about three-quarters of the Atlantic menhaden quota, and roughly 90% of its share goes to the reduction fishery supplying Omega Protein; its supplier Ocean Harvesters caught nearly 300 million pounds in 2024. Scientists have not established that the fishery caused osprey failures, and Omega and Ocean Harvesters dispute that link. Virginia has provided $2 million over two years for research as the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission considers Chesapeake cap options from no cut to 50%; its “not overfished” finding is coastwide and cannot determine Bay-level abundance.
