The study was done by the William and Mary’s Center for Conservation Biology and the results are in. They say that the osprey population is in decline and the most important factor for the loss of young osprey is starvation. The researchers say that this is supported by other recent surveys done by the USGS and Center for Conservation Biology.
They say that osprey young are struggling to survive at 10 different sites in saltier waters, which is where they usually get food from menhaden. There are only 2 freshwater sites that were studied and it was found that osprey young had much higher survival rates there. The primary food source for the osprey is menhaden, which is also consumed by whales, striped bass and other species.
The industrial harvest of menhaden by Omega Protein has been a concern for a long time due to the threats it poses to other species. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission voted to form a workgroup to discuss more restrictions on the industrial harvesting of menhaden recently. There is a need for more scientific research on the topic.
Virginia failed to fund a study earlier this year which would have examined the localized depletion of menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay. The current data only focuses on the menhaden population as a whole, which leaves unanswered questions, according to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
