Press Release

Further cuts could jeopardize ongoing investments in local economies and undermine progress in Chesapeake Bay cleanup

In an already contentious budget year for the Maryland General Assembly, the Department of Legislative Services (DLS) has made an alarming recommendation to steeply cut funding for programs that improve water quality and protect the Chesapeake Bay. If adopted, DLS’s recommendations would cut environmental programming more than 42 percent, effectively halting progress for Bay restoration. These dollars go directly to farmers, watermen, homeowners, and restoration practitioners who are on the ground improving Maryland’s waterways. 

This week, the House and Senate will consider how to address the state’s $3 billion deficit during hearings on the 2025 Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act (HB 352/SB 321). The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), its advocates, and partners urge legislators to support Governor Wes Moore’s proposed budget and resist additional funding cuts for critical programs that support Maryland’s water quality, health, jobs, and ways of life.

“Investments in clean water and air are investments in Marylanders,” said Allison Colden, CBF Maryland Executive Director. “These programs are not just good for the Bay but support jobs, improve people’s health, and make strong financial sense.”

The state agencies that help protect the Bay—Departments of the Environment (MDE), Natural Resources (DNR), and Agriculture (MDA) as well as the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) have a combined proposed budget of $1.046 billion in FY 26 and are slated to collectively contribute well over $255.4 million to deficit reduction in the Governor’s budget plan through a combination of cuts, fund swaps, and other reductions.

Governor Moore’s preliminary budget already included reasonable one-time adjustments to Bay programs. However, DLS has recommended diverting an additional $180 million annually for the next four years from environmental programs including:

• Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays 2010 Trust Fund, which supports farmers installing practices that reduce pollution into local waterways; 
• Program Open Space, which protects Maryland lands and forests and provides local governments with funds to improve recreational amenities. 
• Clean Water Commerce program, which compensates businesses that reduce pollution and promote climate resiliency; 
• Waterways Improvement Fund, which addresses shoreline erosion, abandoned vessels, and marine sewage pump out programs that protect Bay water quality. 

“Protecting the Chesapeake Bay’s health is of paramount importance,” said Johnny Shockley, founder of Blue Oyster Environmental oyster aquaculture company. “We have made significant progress, and it is crucial that we continue to safeguard our state’s future by maintaining funding for vital programs such as the Clean Water Commerce.”

“Program Open Space isn’t a slush fund for budget shortfalls—it’s a commitment to Maryland’s communities, parks, and future,” said Kevin Kinnally, Legislative Director, Maryland Association of Counties (MACo). “Diverting these dedicated funds breaks that promise, undermines decades of conservation progress, and forces counties to fill the gap. This is not belt-tightening—it’s a raid on local investments that support economic growth, environmental resilience, and quality of life. Maryland must keep its commitment to communities and protect funding for open space preservation.”

Further cuts to these programs would significantly hinder the state’s ability to deliver on commitments to improve water quality and habitats, and would risk backsliding on natural resource investments that are the backbone of Maryland’s economy.

Maryland’s seafood industry contributes nearly $600 million to the state’s economy annually. Every acre of oyster reef restored provides more than $40,000 annually in non-harvest benefit, and robust recreation, hunting and fishing opportunities result in nearly $20 billion in economic impacts annually. Additionally, fully funding farm pollution-reduction programs would inject $655 million annually into the region’s economy. 

“Now, more than ever, Maryland cannot afford to abandon its leadership role in the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund is a catalyst for environmental restoration and local economies across our state,” said Matt Johnston, Executive Director of Arundel Rivers Federation. “Grant dollars provided by this fund are sent right back into our communities by organizations like Arundel Rivers who use these grants to employ engineers, construction workers, truck drivers, landscape professionals, and so many other local laborers to deliver projects that reduce local pollution and create more resilient communities.” 

“Over the past several years, ShoreRivers has been the grateful recipient of funding from a number of state programs, including the Clean Water Commerce Account, the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund, and the Tree Solutions Now Act of 2021,” said Timothy Rosen, Director of Agriculture & Restoration at ShoreRivers. “But it hasn’t been our organization that has benefitted the most from that funding—the majority has been passed on to local Maryland businesses to install and maintain restoration projects on our Eastern Shore farm fields and in our local communities.”  

“According to a recent report on the economic impact of conservation on the Delmarva peninsula [compiled by the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy and Delmarva Resource Conservation Network], investment in restoration and conservation directly gives back to Maryland by supporting almost 140 jobs over the lifetime of a single project, with every $1 million invested returning $1.8 million back to the state through local economic output. While we recognize the considerable task our legislators are facing this session, this crucial funding has created jobs and a restoration economy that helps us achieve clean water goals, keeps Marylanders employed, and supports a robust and vibrant rural economy,” added Rosen. 

CBF urges members of the General Assembly to reject DLS’s recommendation and resist further environmental budget cuts that would result in long-term harm to Maryland’s waterways, economies, and people. 

To help protect water quality across the Chesapeake Bay region, Alan Girard, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF)’s Maryland Advocacy Director, was elected this year’s Chair of the Delmarva Land and Litter Collaborative (DLLC). 

Chicken farming has been an essential part of the Delmarva Peninsula’s culture for 100 years. While chicken litter is a valuable fertilizer for crops, it can lead to harmful pollution if not well managed. Agriculture is one of the leading sources of nutrient and sediment pollution entering local waterways and the Chesapeake Bay. 

DLLC was founded to help address these issues with a collaborative group of diverse stakeholders. Committee members include chicken companies, farmers, agencies, academics, and environmental groups. Each year, the DLLC Chair changes hands between an agriculture and environmental representative.  

In his role as Chair, Girard will help ensure the region’s agricultural and poultry operations remain productive, while also protecting water quality and communities. One of the Committee’s top priorities this year is to better understand why Delmarva waterways lag behind other Bay tributaries in reducing nutrient pollution. 

Alan Girard, CBF Maryland Advocacy Director and DLLC Chair, issued the following statement: 

“The Delmarva Land and Litter Collaborative’s goal is clear—productive farms, clean water, and thriving ecosystems. However, the solutions are complex, and collaboration and partnerships with the agricultural and environmental communities are critical. As DLLC Chair, I’m eager to continue nurturing those key relationships and progressing towards our shared goals together.” 

Despite mounting troubling signs about the health of the Chesapeake Bay’s menhaden population, this legislative session Virginia lawmakers failed to approve three separate efforts to fund a study intended to answer long-standing questions about the Bay’s menhaden. 

The Commonwealth’s long wait for the necessary science into the Commonwealth’s largest fishery and most important fish in the Bay persists. 

Atlantic menhaden are the target of Virginia’s largest commercial fishery, run by a company called Omega Protein, and its affiliates. Typically turned into fishmeal and fish oil products in a process known as “reduction fishing,” the small schooling fish also are a key food for iconic predators like striped bass, bluefish, and ospreys. All other states have banned the practice of reduction fishing.  

After thousands of menhaden and gamefish washed up on Virginia shores during high-profile fish spills by Omega Protein, the General Assembly passed legislation in 2023 requiring plans for studying menhaden populations in Virginia waters. This was backed by Omega Protein. But in early 2024, Virginia lawmakers failed to pass a bill that would have funded this necessary research.   

This year, Delegate Paul Milde spearheaded one effort for the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) to complete the $3 million three-year study of the ecology, fishery impacts, and economic importance of the menhaden population in Virginia. That House Bill 2713 and the accompanying budget amendment Item 148 #4h failed to advance from the House. 

Another effort by Delegate Betsy Carr slotted the first year of funding for the study in the state budget to VIMS, but this measure was killed during budget negotiations. 

The study would address critical data gaps, including the menhaden population within the Bay and the impacts of “reduction” fishing. 

In large part due to reduction fishing, more than 70 percent of all commercial menhaden harvest lands in Virginia. But menhaden management continues to rely on coastwide data that doesn’t paint a full picture of how the fishery affects fish in Virginia. A lack of Bay-specific data hinders effective management decisions and jeopardizes the health of this keystone species and renowned estuary.  

Robust menhaden populations are essential to Virginia’s $980 million recreational fishing economy, supporting valuable sportfish like striped bass. Yet troubling signs continue to mount, including starving osprey in areas of the Bay where they depend on menhaden for food. 

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Virginia Executive Director Chris Moore released the following statement:  

“This is not just bad news for fishermen, but bad news for a Chesapeake Bay ecosystem that continues to scream warnings about menhaden. For years, we’ve lacked the baseline knowledge we need to establish robust and lasting sustainability for menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay. Unfortunately, one foreign-owned entity continues to stand in the way of good science—Omega Protein, the largest harvester of menhaden on the Atlantic Coast.”   

“We are deeply disappointed that once again Omega Protein and their lobbyists have thwarted the good faith efforts to develop the necessary science for the Chesapeake Bay. Perhaps even more frustrating is the fact they twice previously supported the proposed approach to studying many of the most pressing questions related to the Commonwealth’s menhaden resource. This delay will not be received well by the public, who has long supported better menhaden science for the region.” 

Investments Bolster Chesapeake Bay Restoration and a Climate-Ready Commonwealth

Virginia lawmakers made some of the strongest investments in recent years when it comes to flood protection, cleaner rivers and streams, and more hands-on outdoor learning in the compromise budget proposal announced Thursday.

The budget conference report released Feb. 20 by Virginia state legislators proposed investments in climate resiliency, environmental education, and significant investment in pollution reduction. 

This House and Senate compromise on the state budget will now head the full House and Senate then Governor Youngkin for final approval.

Creating a Climate-Ready Commonwealth

• The proposed budget commits an additional $50 million dollars in general funds to the Community Flood Preparedness Fund, which is Virginia’s only dedicated climate change adaptation program. The Community Flood Preparedness Fund has helped communities around the Commonwealth begin to adapt to sea level rise and the costliest natural hazard: flooding.

Advancing Environmental Education 

• The proposed budget includes an investment of $500,000 to support statewide competitive environmental education experiences grant program: This ensures that Virginia’s youth meet state education standards and stay on par with neighboring states. The state’s current investments of just 30 cents per student in environmental education lags significantly behind neighboring states, falling 89.2% below Maryland ($2.78 per student) and 48.3% less than Pennsylvania (58 cents per student).  

Protecting Keystone Species

• The proposed budget includes $250,000 to reduce the predatory pressure of the invasive blue catfish in Virginia waters: The invasive species are known to feed on native species like menhaden, striped bass, shad, and blue crabs, straining these critical fisheries populations.
• The proposed budget does not include funding for a critical study intended to answer long-standing questions about the Bay’s menhaden and the Commonwealth’s largest fishery. 

Cleaner Water for Everyone

• The proposed budget includes a significant $40 million investment in the state’s Stormwater Local Assistance Fund (SLAF): Runoff from roofs, sidewalks, and roadways is a major source of harmful pollutants reaching our waterways. SLAF provides matching grants to localities for projects that reduce polluted runoff, such as stream restoration, rain gardens, and other retrofits. 
• The proposed budget commits an additional $31 million to fully fund wastewater treatment plant upgrades and $26 million to ensure we can fund agricultural best management practices in the years ahead: This is one of the highest investments for cleaner water in recent years in the state budget. Practices like fencing cattle out of streams, planting streamside trees and grasses, and many others are the most cost-effective steps Virginia can take to restore the Chesapeake Bay and local streams. At the same time, many of Virginia’s sewage treatment facilities have made important progress in nutrient reductions in recent years due to investments made by the General Assembly. 

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Virginia Policy Manager Jay Ford released the following statement:  

“Virginians are speaking clearly. They want clean rivers and streams for their kids to enjoy, stronger defenses against devastating storms, and a healthy environment that supports our economy. Investing in these priorities isn’t just good environmental policy, it’s smart economic sense. A thriving natural environment means a thriving Virginia.” 

“These are investments that pay off for generations. We can’t afford to wait until the next major storm hits or another waterway is polluted. Reactive measures are costly and often insufficient. We need proactive investments in climate change adaptation, pollution reduction, and environmental education.”

“The budget is a reflection of our priorities. We are grateful to see a proposed budget that invests in a sustainable future for Virginia—a future with clean water, resilient communities, and abundant opportunities for outdoor recreation. This is what Virginians want, and it’s what our future demands.”

Today, the Moore Administration, in partnership with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Department of Agriculture (MDA), and Department of the Environment (MDE), presented the Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act (SB428/HB506) to the Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) submitted supportive testimony and urges lawmakers to advance the legislation out of committee. 

The legislation would improve Bay health, while also promoting economic growth, by making environmentally friendly practices easier and more appealing for people and businesses across the state to implement. The bill’s new programs and reforms address some of the recommendations identified in the Chesapeake Bay Program’s May 2023 Comprehensive Evaluation of System Response (CESR) report. 

The Act will: 

• Establish a Maryland Leaders in Environmentally Engaged Farming (LEEF) Program Fund, administered by MDA, which will increase farmer incentives to implement regenerative agriculture practices that improve soil health and reduce pollution; 
• Promote regenerative agriculture on DNR-owned state land; 
• Incorporate the effects of climate change such as increased water temperatures and migration pattern changes into fishery management decisions; 
• Create a water quality monitoring program managed by DNR, which will help quantify progress and inform future strategies to clean the Bay’s rivers and streams; 
• Simplify annual reporting for the shellfish aquaculture industry, which makes tremendous improvements to water quality, fish habitat, and economic growth in Maryland; and,  
• Expedite permitting to implement the Whole Watershed Restoration Act, which was passed by the General Assembly last year and aims to target restoration in five key watersheds across the state.  

Allison Colden, CBF Maryland Executive Director, issued the following statement: 

“The Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act brings hope for a healthier and more resilient future. This legislation gives our farmers, watermen, oyster growers, and restoration scientists the tools they need to succeed, and in turn, will reduce pollution in our rivers and streams.  

“Maryland is at a critical point for the Chesapeake Bay and its waterways, amid historic budget challenges and an uncertain outlook at the federal level. This Act will ensure our momentum continues in the right direction — for a future where all Marylanders can enjoy clean rivers and streams, wildlife can have secure and thriving habitats from the mountains to marshes, and local businesses that rely on our natural resources can grow and prosper.  

“We urge the General Assembly to pass this bill for the betterment of the Chesapeake Bay and Maryland’s people.” 

HARRISBURG—The $50 million for the Clean Streams Fund (CSF) included in the Governor Josh Shapiro’s  $51.5 billion General Fund budget proposal for fiscal year 2025-26 unveiled today would mean Pennsylvania farms have more projects on the ground that reduce pollution to local rivers and streams.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) praised inclusion of $50 million in recurring budget investments for the CSF, which funds the Agriculture Conservation Assistance Program(ACAP). Cost-share investments through ACAP are passed through conservation districts, providing financial and technical assistance for local agricultural projects that reduce pollution.

Of the $50 million included in the Governor’s budget proposal for 2025-26, the CSF allocates 71.5 percent to ACAP.

Initially in 2024, Senator Scott Martin and Senator Gene Yaw included $50 million from personal income taxes in the tax code as new annual funding each August for the CSF. The fund tackles the top three sources of stream impairment in the Commonwealth: some agricultural activities, acid mine drainage, and urban/suburban stormwater runoff.  

The design of the legislation that created ACAP was a collaborative effort between CBF, the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, and the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences. The CSF and ACAP were introduced by Senator Yaw.

The budget proposal also provides $615,000 to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to prioritize clean water by providing guidance, direction, and advisement on agricultural-related runoff to meet the standards in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. This funding will allow DEP to serve the public more effectively and bolster capacity to help farmers and conservation districts navigate federal and state funding programs.  

 CBF Pennsylvania Executive Director Julia Krall issued this statement:

“The $50 million in the Governor’s proposed budget for the Clean Streams Fund and Agriculture Conservation Assistance Program reaffirms the commitment of our elected leaders to creating a legacy of clean water, healthy soils, and resilient communities for future generations.

“Governor Shapiro’s words echoed through the Chesapeake Bay watershed last year when he said: ‘We are making sure Pennsylvania does its fair share. You have my commitment that this work will continue. Pennsylvania is all in.’

“ACAP is working to reduce pollution to our local waters.

“According to the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission, which administers ACAP, $141 million has been committed to 66 county conservation districts and Philadelphia. Roughly $109 million has been under signed contract with farmers and committed to 1,227 projects.

“Farmers appreciate the value and importance of keeping soil and nutrients on the land instead of running off into the water. With support from the ACAP, they don’t have to implement needed measures on their own.”

Chesapeake Bay Foundation lauds advancement of climate-readiness measures

The Virginia General Assembly session has reached its midpoint, marking some wins and losses for key environmental measures. 

These measures would enhance our management of Virginia’s living resources, provide better planning for our growing solar industry, improve water quality, protect public health, and align with Governor Youngkin’s recent recommitment to Chesapeake Bay restoration.  

At this point known as “crossover,” bills started in one chamber must be passed in order to move to the other chamber for consideration, a key moment for legislation focused on flood resilience, protection of vital species, and advancements in clean energy. 

Key environmental wins and losses include: 

Protecting Virginians from Flooding and Extreme Weather 

• HB 2034 introduced by Delegate Shelly Simonds: This establishes efforts to protect the state’s existing tidal and nontidal wetlands, which are natural water filterers and sponges. This bill passed the House and will now head to the Senate. 
• HB2630 introduced by Delegate Rodney Willett and HB2638 introduced by Delegate Patrick Hope: Another natural sponge that cools our neighborhoods and reduces our energy use, trees would be easier to preserve and replace under these two bills that expand local authority. Both passed the House are under consideration by the Senate.  
• HB 2077 introduced by Delegate Paul Krizek and SB 1335 introduced by Senator David Marsden: These bills allow federally-recognized tribal governments access to Community Flood Preparedness funding. Both bills passed their respective chamber.  
• HJ 434 introduced by Delegate Michael Feggans and HJ 437 introduced by Delegate Kelly Convirs-Fowler: HJ434 direct studies on how state and localities would fund Coastal Storm Risk Management (CSRM) plans. HJ437 reestablishes the Joint Subcommittee of Recurrent Flooding. Both bills passed the House and on to the Senate for consideration. 

Protecting and Restoring Key Species 

• CBF is disheartened that legislation for an oyster stock assessment helping ensure the wise management of the state’s oysters as well as legislation and an accompanying $3 million budget amendment to move forward with a much-needed study of menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay did not advance in the General Assembly. CBF thanks Delegate Paul Milde for introducing the menhaden efforts and again notes the increasing need for scientific studies into the impact of factors including climate change and an industrial fishery on this important forage fish.  
• CBF continues to support HB 2782 introduced by Delegate Shelly Simonds that removes the one-fish daily limit for blue catfish longer than 32 inches, helping to reduce the predatory pressure of this invasive species in the tidal waters of the James, Rappahannock, and York Rivers. HB 2782 has passed the House and is under consideration by the Senate. 

Durable Future for Clean Energy 

• To achieve established clean energy goals without unduly compromising farmland or forests, CBF supported legislation from Senators Deeds and McPike and Delegate Sullivan to create a state advisory body for localities considering utility-scale solar projects. The legislation also required a regional energy plan. CBF is disappointed this measure did not advance.  

Reducing Pollution 

• The General Assembly showed continued strong support for reducing pollution in the budget by proposing funding for three key pillars of pollution reduction: agricultural best management practices, wastewater treatment plant upgrades, and investment in the Stormwater Local Assistant Fund, a matching grant program for projects that reduce polluted runoff such as stream restoration and rain gardens. 
  

  Practices like fencing cattle out of streams, planting streamside trees and grasses, and many others are the most cost-effective steps Virginia can take to restore the Bay and local streams. At the same time, many of Virginia’s sewage treatment facilities have made important progress in nutrient reductions in recent years due to investments made by the General Assembly. 

CBF Virginia Policy Manager Jay Ford released the following statement: 

“Protecting Virginians from costly flooding, extreme storms, and the health impacts of pollution is a bipartisan issue. This crossover period saw robust support for pollution reduction and measures to proactively prepare the Commonwealth for costly storms and flooding on our horizon.  

“While we celebrate the progress made on several key environmental fronts, the losses related to menhaden and oyster studies and the need for a comprehensive clean energy strategy highlight the urgency of the challenges facing the Chesapeake Bay. 

“This moment presents a significant opportunity for legislators to demonstrate their commitment to a healthy environment and resilient communities. We urge them to prioritize the measures that will ensure a cleaner, healthier Virginia for the next generation.” 

Record-Breaking Year Adds Urgency to Flood Preparedness and State’s Return to RGGI

During the Virginia legislative session this month, lawmakers will consider measures that address rising challenges from climate change and strengthen Virginia’s protections against extreme weather. Those include returning Virginia to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, bolstering Virginia’s community flood preparedness, and expanding natural defenses against erosion and storm surge.

Last year brought record-breaking summer temperatures, deadly storms like Hurricane Helene, and flood watches dominating the calendars of coastal communities. Coastal Virginia has seen the highest rate of relative sea-level rise on the Atlantic Coast, while residents battled flood alerts 80 days last year—about a quarter of 2024. 

Lawmakers will also consider proposals to return Virginia to the carbon emissions reduction program known as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), as well as expanding flood preparedness resources.

“We can’t afford to normalize what is extreme. The rising threats to Virginians and their homes and businesses shows the need for urgent action from state leaders. These bills and budget amendments build on our progress and make Virginia communities stronger in the face of an unprecedented challenge,” said Delegate Phil Hernandez, who introduced bills advancing living shoreline funding and coastal storm risk studies.

Coastal storm risk studies ensure communities have the resources they need to protect their homes and businesses.

“No Virginia community is immune to the rising challenges brought on by the climate crisis. We must prepare now to avoid more damage and calamity in the future. These measures unify resources to tackle this statewide issue, which is paramount to safeguarding Virginia’s economy, protecting public health, and preserving our natural resources,” Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) Virginia Policy Manager Jay Ford said. 

To build resilience statewide, CBF urges lawmakers to support: 

Virginia’s Return to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)

• A budget amendment requiring Virginia to rejoin RGGI immediately and appropriate existing revenues and any future revenues to the low-income energy efficiency fund and the Community Flood Preparedness Fund as outlined by law through the Community Flood Preparedness Act. 

Strengthen Community Flood Preparedness

• HB 2077 introduced by Delegate Paul Krizek and SB 1335 introduced by Senator David Marsden: These bills allow federally-recognized tribal governments access to Community Flood Preparedness funding;
• $50 million in the budget for the Stormwater Local Assistance Fund (SLAF): Runoff from roofs, sidewalks, and roadways is a major source of harmful pollutants reaching our waterways. SLAF provides matching grants to localities for projects that reduce polluted runoff, such as stream restoration, rain gardens, and other retrofits. 

Expand Natural Defenses against Erosion and Storm Surge

• HB 1950 introduced by Delegate Phil Hernandez: This bill creates a fund to help pay for large-scale living shorelines with an accompanying $5 million budget amendment to supply the fund;
• HB 1949 introduced by Delegate Phil Hernandez, HJ 434 introduced by Delegate Michael Feggans, and SB 1337 introduced by Senator David Marsden: These bills direct studies on how state and localities would fund Coastal Storm Risk Management (CSRM) plans;
• HJ 437 introduced by Delegate Convirs-Fowler: This bill reestablishes the Joint Subcommittee of Recurrent Flooding;
• HB 2034 introduced by Delegate Shelly Simonds: This establishes a task force to develop strategies to protect the state’s existing tidal and nontidal wetlands plus develop plans for wetland restoration, creation, and migration.

CBF Supports Bill Removing Restriction on Catch of Invasive Species

An invasive predator wreaking havoc in Virginia waters is now the target of a bill introduced by a Virginia lawmaker. The proposal advancing through the General Assembly hopes to get more blue catfish out of state waters and on to people’s plates. 

HB 2782 patroned by Del. Shelly Simonds (D-Newport News) removes the one-fish daily limit for blue catfish longer than 32 inches. It removes this limit in the tidal waters of the James, Rappahannock, and York Rivers.

“Blue catfish threaten the delicate balance of wildlife in our rivers but they’re also delicious. This bill is a crucial step towards getting them under control and ensuring the long-term health of our rivers and streams,” Del. Shelly Simonds (D-Newport News) said. 

Blue catfish were introduced to Virginia rivers and streams in the late 1960s and early 1970s for recreational fishing. Now, almost all major Chesapeake Bay watershed tributaries contain them. In fact, catfish can make up to 75 percent of the total fish weight living in rivers and streams where they have been established in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. 

“By encouraging the harvest of these invasive predators, we can not only protect our native fish but also provide Virginians with a delicious and sustainable seafood option,” Del. Hillary Pugh Kent (R-Warsaw) said.  

The invasive species are known to feed on native species like menhaden, striped bass, shad, and blue crabs, straining these critical fisheries populations. 

“Removing this cap on the blue catfish harvest is another step in the right direction to help mitigate the threat of this invasive species and safeguard the long-term health of the Bay and the livelihoods that depend on it,” Chesapeake Bay Foundation Virginia Executive Director Chris Moore said.   

If passed, the bill would join other state efforts to control the problem. Rounds of grants issued by the state in recent years awarded funds to encourage more catching and eating of the species. 

The bill has been referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources.

A Virginia effort to fund a three-year study would provide insights critical for a healthy Chesapeake Bay

Update: Delegate Paul Milde has now issued House Bill 2713 and a budget amendment to fund the menhaden study in Virginia. 

During the 2025 legislative session, Virginia lawmakers will again consider providing funding for university research into the Commonwealth’s largest fishery: Atlantic menhaden. Delegate Paul Milde (R-64) is spearheading the effort to provide the $3 million necessary for the Virginia Institute of Marine Science to complete a three-year study of the ecology, fishery impacts, and economic importance of the menhaden population in the waters of the Commonwealth. 

Atlantic menhaden are a small, schooling fish targeted by industry to be turned into fishmeal and fish oil products through a process known as “reduction” fishing. Due to their high oil content, menhaden—otherwise called bunker—serve as the base of the marine food chain in Virginia, feeding iconic predators like striped bass, bluefish, and ospreys during critical points in their life cycles, especially inside the Chesapeake Bay. Although menhaden are managed on a coastwide basis by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, there is a lack of specific data related to how many menhaden are present within the Bay itself throughout the year and what impacts reduction fishing may have on the fragile estuarine ecosystem. 

“Current menhaden management relies on incomplete information. This research will provide the scientific foundation needed to make sound decisions that balance the needs of the fishery with the ecological importance of this keystone species,” said Delegate Paul Milde (R-64), who is sponsoring the effort. “Menhaden are essential to the health of the Chesapeake Bay, supporting a variety of commercial and recreational fisheries. By investing in this research, we can make informed decisions about menhaden management and protect this vital species for future generations.” 

Concerns about the removal of menhaden from the Virginia portion of the Chesapeake are the primary reason ASMFC implemented a harvest cap on the state’s reduction fishery in 2006. However, this cap is based solely on historic landings and not actual scientific data on the current population of menhaden in the Bay. 

“As questions continue to mount about the health of the Chesapeake Bay’s menhaden population, the need for this important effort grows every day. We appreciate all the work that the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and Virginia Marine Resources Commission have done in the development of the study,” said Chris Moore, Virginia executive director of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. “CBF is very appreciative of Delegate Milde for his leadership to ensure this effort is not further delayed.” 

This relatively low-cost education funding provision would allow VIMS to expand its knowledge about Virginia’s largest commercial fishery to improve sustainable fisheries management and give the Virginia Marine Resources Commission the information necessary to determine the role menhaden play in maintaining viable recreational fishing access and a healthy Chesapeake Bay ecosystem. A robust menhaden population directly supports Virginia’s $980 million recreational fishing economy, by serving as a critical food source for valuable sportfish like striped bass (or rockfish). 

“Making up the gaps in science is the only way to effectively evaluate the menhaden population in the Bay,” said Chris Macaluso, director of the Center for Marine Fisheries for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “The reduction industry removes millions of pounds of menhaden from the Chesapeake. Numerous economically, ecologically, and culturally important fish like striped bass, cobia, and red drum depend on this forage, yet little is known about the impacts of depleting menhaden inside the Bay. Establishing a baseline of knowledge for the Bay’s fishery is vital to support both sustainable commercial and recreational fisheries.” 

Recent fish spills by the menhaden reduction industry initially highlighted the need to find ways to mitigate the impact of these spills to local economies. As a result, the General Assembly passed SB 1388 during the 2023 legislative session, which required VIMS to develop plans for studying menhaden populations in the waters of the Commonwealth. In early 2024, Virginia lawmakers failed to pass a bill that would have funded this necessary research. 

“For years, we’ve lacked the baseline knowledge we need to help establish robust and lasting protections for menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay,” said Romaric Moncrieffe, marine conservation policy manager for the National Audubon Society. “This funding bill is a step in the right direction towards achieving a lasting and healthy fishery that is able to support and protect vital bird and fish species along the entire Atlantic coast. We must do everything we can to preserve the health of the Bay.” 

“An investment by Virginia in science to better manage, use, and conserve public fishery resources in the Chesapeake Bay is a logical and long-awaited step towards establishing an important balance for stakeholders and the fishery resources we all share,” said David Sikorski, executive director for the Coastal Conservation Association – Maryland. 

“It’s clear advancing science in the Chesapeake Bay is important to understanding the ecosystem dynamics in the primary producer area for striped bass,” said Mike Waine, Atlantic fisheries policy director for the American Sportfishing Association. “Menhaden, as a key forage species, play a vital economic role in supporting recreational fishing businesses that serve hundreds of thousands of anglers across the Chesapeake Bay watershed.” 

“We need Bay-specific science to better understand the impacts of fishing on birds and other predators within Chesapeake Bay,” said Nikki Rovner, associate state director of The Nature Conservancy in Virginia. “Better science will help us make better decisions on how to manage those impacts and continue improving the health of the system.” 

Learn more about the recreational fishing community’s push for better management of menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay.