Menhaden Decline
1. Without Menhaden, How will the ecosystem be affected?
The ecosystem will be negatively affected. Many animals depend on Menhaden for a food source and without them, other dependent species will not be able to survive. Because the main food supply is being decreased, the animals feeding off of Menhaden will also decrease.
2. Why are Menhaden important to the Bay and the ecosystem?
Menhaden are the heart of the East Coast ecosystem. They are a major fish industry and food source to Rockfish, Bluefish, marine mammals and sea birds. They are one of the few fish that feed on phytoplankton and are able to recognize algae bloom. Menhaden are on a high commercial level with more than 300 million pounds caught every year. Menhaden are not only a source of food, but they provide habitat for other animals, filtering the ocean to provide more oxygen.
3. Who will be mostly affected if the Menhaden population continues to decrease?
Fishermen, Omega-3 business workers and animals that prey on Menhaden will be mostly affected. Virginia Fishermen depend on fishing as their livelihood, and without it are not able to survive financially. Fishermen use Menhaden as bait to catch other fish, without the Menhaden it would be harder to catch fish. Omega-3 businesses use Menhaden for Omega-3 oil, without Menhaden they are not able to make oil. Without Menhaden, The Omega-3 plant will make claims that they are not making enough money to support all of its workers, although they make more than what they pay their employees. Animals dependent on Menhaden will be negatively affected; with the decline of Menhaden, they will start to prey on other animals. Because there are many that prey on Menhaden, animals such as Rockfish and Bluefish will begin to prey on other animals soon decreasing their population.
The ecosystem will be negatively affected. Many animals depend on Menhaden for a food source and without them, other dependent species will not be able to survive. Because the main food supply is being decreased, the animals feeding off of Menhaden will also decrease.
2. Why are Menhaden important to the Bay and the ecosystem?
Menhaden are the heart of the East Coast ecosystem. They are a major fish industry and food source to Rockfish, Bluefish, marine mammals and sea birds. They are one of the few fish that feed on phytoplankton and are able to recognize algae bloom. Menhaden are on a high commercial level with more than 300 million pounds caught every year. Menhaden are not only a source of food, but they provide habitat for other animals, filtering the ocean to provide more oxygen.
3. Who will be mostly affected if the Menhaden population continues to decrease?
Fishermen, Omega-3 business workers and animals that prey on Menhaden will be mostly affected. Virginia Fishermen depend on fishing as their livelihood, and without it are not able to survive financially. Fishermen use Menhaden as bait to catch other fish, without the Menhaden it would be harder to catch fish. Omega-3 businesses use Menhaden for Omega-3 oil, without Menhaden they are not able to make oil. Without Menhaden, The Omega-3 plant will make claims that they are not making enough money to support all of its workers, although they make more than what they pay their employees. Animals dependent on Menhaden will be negatively affected; with the decline of Menhaden, they will start to prey on other animals. Because there are many that prey on Menhaden, animals such as Rockfish and Bluefish will begin to prey on other animals soon decreasing their population.