THE MOST IMPORTANT FISH IN THE SEA

THE UNTOLD STORY OF MENHADEN: A FORGOTTEN AMERICAN ICON

A CosmoVision Media Group Production

Executive Producer: Peter Hamilton

Help Us Tell the Story of an Unsung Ocean Hero

We're raising funds to complete "The Most Important Fish in the Sea" - a feature documentary exploring the critical role of Atlantic menhaden in our coastal ecosystems and the industrial fishery that threatens them.

This grassroots funding initiative allows us to maintain creative control and build a robust impact campaign that will bring menhaden conservation to the forefront of public policy discussions in coastal communities from the Gulf of Maine to the Gulf of Mexico.

Menhaden School Fishing Operation Ocean Marine Life Coastal Scene Seabird Ocean Surface Whale Fish Coastal Waters Marine Ecosystem

Join Us in Making a Difference

Your contributions are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law. We accept online donations via credit card or ACH transfer, as well as donations by check, stock transfers, and other methods.

Our fiscal sponsor, the Sustainable Markets Foundation, is a globally respected non-profit organization that processes all donations and provides official tax documentation. This partnership allows our filmmakers to focus on creating the documentary while ensuring financial transparency and accountability.

CONTRIBUTE

Secure online donation processing

Multiple ways to give: Credit card, ACH, check, or stock transfer

Why Menhaden Matter

Ecosystem Impact

Menhaden feed:

  • Striped bass
  • Redfish
  • Bluefish
  • Cod
  • Billfish
  • Bluefin tuna
  • Humpback whales
  • Dolphins
  • Seals
  • Ospreys
  • Pelicans
  • Bald eagles

Coastal Communities

New England: Support recreational fishing and whale-watching tourism

Chesapeake Bay: Fuel striped bass populations and seafood industries

Gulf Coast: Sustain redfish and spotted sea trout populations critical to recreational and commercial fishing

Economic Significance

Recreation & Tourism: Menhaden support multi-billion dollar industries

Cultural Heritage: Sustain traditional fishing communities and maritime culture

Food Security: Critical link in the coastal food web

The Menhaden Reduction Fishery: A Complex Legacy

Industrial Fishing Vessel Fishing Operations Menhaden Harvest Industrial Scale Reduction Fishery

The industrial menhaden reduction fishery is the second-largest fishery by volume in the United States. Foreign-owned corporations harvest billions of these vital fish annually, processing them into fish meal, fish oil, and other products.

This industrial-scale operation represents a fundamental question: Should we grind billions of forage fish into products, or leave them in the ocean to feed the species that depend on them?

The reduction fishery removes massive quantities of menhaden from coastal ecosystems, with profound implications for marine food webs, recreational and commercial fisheries, and the coastal communities that depend on healthy oceans.

National Geographic 1949 Menhaden Cover

National Geographic featured menhaden on its cover in June 1949, highlighting the fish's historical importance to American coastal communities.