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Annapolis City Council Support for Draft Addendum II to Amendment 3 of the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Menhaden
For the purpose of showing the support of the Annapolis City Council for necessary conservation measures for the Atlantic Menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay.
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City Council of the
City of Annapolis
Resolution 45-26
Introduced by: Alderman Huntley
Co-sponsored by: Alderman Savidge
A RESOLUTION concerning
Annapolis City Council Support for Draft Addendum II to Amendment 3 of the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Menhaden
FOR the purpose of showing the support of the Annapolis City Council for necessary conservation measures for the Atlantic Menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay.
WHEREAS, Atlantic Menhaden are essential to the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem and the people and communities that work our waterways; and
WHEREAS, Atlantic Menhaden are dense in calories and nutrients and make up large portions of the diets of iconic Chesapeake Bay species, such as striped bass (rockfish), bluefish, dolphins, and ospreys-meaning they are critical for those species’ survival; and
WHEREAS, When Atlantic Menhaden populations decline, the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem can fall out of balance; and
WHEREAS, Maryland is already experiencing the effects of a diminished Menhaden population, resulting in local osprey populations plummeting to unsustainable reproductive levels; and
WHEREAS, The Chesapeake Bay, its tributaries, and their diverse aquatic life drive significant portions of Annapolis’ maritime economy, tourism, and historic identity; and
WHEREAS, Advancing strong Menhaden conservation measures will improve the resilience and health of the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem, all the species that depend on Menhaden, and the countless businesses and communities in Annapolis that rely on a productive Chesapeake Bay; and
WHEREAS, The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) manages Atlantic menhaden under an Interstate Fishery Management Plan, and its Atlantic Menhaden Management Board approved Draft Addendum II to Amendment 3 for public comment in August 2026;
WHEREAS, Draft Addendum II includes measures that would reduce the Chesapeake Bay Reduction Fishery Cap (Bay Cap), which limits menhaden harvest for reduction purposes inside the Chesapeake Bay, by 50% from its current level; would establish three even-length quota periods for the Bay Cap that distribute harvest 25% in Period 1, 25% in Period 2, and 50% in Period 3; and would require the efficacy of these new management tools to be reassessed every 3 years.
WHEREAS, ASMFC accepted public comment on Draft Addendum II until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on October 9, 2026, however, the Management Board is scheduled to consider final approval in November 2026;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE ANNAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL that the Council supports the adoption of necessary conservation measures in Draft Addendum II to Amendment 3 of the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Menhaden.
AND BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED BY THE ANNAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL that this resolution shall take effect upon passage.