THE OSPREY
ARE STARVING
Fifty nests. Fifty clutches of eggs.
Not a single chick survived to fly.
What we’re seeing right now
Navesink River: 24 nests, 24 with eggs in June.
Zero fledglings in August.
Shrewsbury River: 26 nests, 26 with eggs in June.
Zero fledglings in August.
13 adult osprey counted on the Navesink in August. Not one was seen feeding, carrying a fish, or interacting with fish of any kind.
Fifty nests. Fifty clutches of eggs. Not a single chick survived to fly.
The Same Story Everywhere the Bunker Left
Five years ago: 10 to 30 bald eagles a day, feeding on the adult menhaden that filled the river.
The last two years: zero adult menhaden in the river. Only the resident, non-migratory eagles remain, about four birds total, on a stretch that used to hold dozens of migrants a day.
For 15 years, Paul has also tracked something else on these rivers each spring: a die-off among the largest, oldest menhaden, a Vibrio-driven “spinning disease” that state biologists eventually confirmed.
The die-off has not happened the last two springs. Not because the fish got healthier. Because there are barely any big, old menhaden left in the rivers to die.
This isn’t a guess. It’s what happens when the fish disappear.
BECOME A DEFENDER
Join the chorus of American citizens advocating for:
Sustainable, equitable fishing practices
Protection of vital marine ecosystems
Transparent, science-based management
Preservation of coastal community heritage
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