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Schools of bunker once blacked out our bays; now many anglers chase scattered pods and skinny bass while ospreys circle empty water. We sat down with Captain Paul Eidman of Menhaden Defenders to unpack what changed, why the new ecosystem science calls for much tighter quotas, and how a single industrial fleet can reshape an entire food web. This is a straight look at menhaden—the forage that fuels stripers, birds, whales, and the bait that keeps lobster and crab fisheries moving.

We trace the cascade: Atlantic herring collapsed first, industrial capacity slid into menhaden, and pressure concentrated on the biggest, most nutrient‑rich adults. The result shows up everywhere—fewer “horse bunker,” shorter runs, predators forced to eat less‑dense prey, and even failed nests for ospreys and eagles. While managers acknowledged errors in the old models, the vote still landed well above what the corrected ecosystem approach recommends. If you’ve wondered why the on‑water story doesn’t match the policy, this conversation bridges the gap.

We also separate fact from fury on fleets. The reduction sector harvests at industrial scale for fishmeal and oil, targeting the oldest fish that anchor resilience, while small bait boats supply working waterfronts with a fraction of the impact. If we care about rebuilding stripers and restoring coastal wildlife, we have to start by rebuilding their food—setting a hard, science‑driven cap, reserving a cautious bait quota, and pausing reduction catch until adult age classes rebound. Abundance is the goal, because abundance feeds everything else.

If this mattered to you, share the episode with a fishing buddy, subscribe for future deep dives, and leave a quick review telling us where you’re seeing (or not seeing) bunker this season. Your on‑water reports help shape what we tackle next.

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