In Chesapeake Bay, ospreys and striped bass are dying from starvation due to lack of menhaden, their most important prey. Menhaden are a keystone species eaten by almost every other fish and bird on the east coast, but its status is controversial. Conservationists claim it is being depleted by uncontrolled fishing and should be preserved, but fishing interests deny it and decry potential loss of income. Chesapeake Bay Magazine reported that the Atlantic States Marine Fishery Commission finally agreed to cut the menhaden quota coastwide by 20%. BUT Chesapeake Bay fishermen are still allowed to capture 51,000 tons (that’s 112 MILLION pounds for the metric-averse) of the oily fish. Something smells fishy to me. ASMFC has, however, agreed to develop “a range of options to reduce the Bay Cap.” In other words, a framework of an outline of a concept of a plan. We can only hope they will put the needs of the ecosystem above commercial interests and approve the plan before next summer.