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Article: Menhaden matters.(LETTERS)(FORUM)
- Article from:
- The Washington Times (Washington, DC)
- Article date:
- June 26, 2005
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 The Washington Times LLC. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Menhaden are the Rodney Dangerfields of the Chesapeake Bay - these small, bony fish get no respect. Menhaden are essential to the health of Chesapeake Bay, North America's biggest estuary and the world's third-largest.
As principal filter feeders of the bay's waters - second only to oysters, which are already grossly depleted - menhaden feed on plankton and decaying plant matter.
Menhaden are also the primary source of food for many popular sport and commercial fish, including striped bass, which spawn in the bay and rely on juvenile menhaden for the bulk of their diet. They are also a source of nutrient rich oil, ...