Osprey and menhaden are two iconic species of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, and their populations are intertwined. Osprey rely on menhaden as a primary food source, and some experts contend that lower menhaden populations have had a direct impact on the success of nesting osprey pairs– whose reproductive rates are now at levels lower than during the height of DDT use.

At October’s CRC Roundtable, we heard from leading experts who explored the current population trends of both osprey and menhaden, the ecological connection between them, and what’s being done to support their recovery.