Northampton County Board of Supervisors Betsy Mapp, Oliver Bennett, John Coker, Dixon Leatherbury, and Ernest L. Smith Jr. were presented with a recognition plaque as one of the ten recipients of the Big Friend to the Little Fish 2024 award.
Eastville, VA- At the Northampton County Board of Supervisors meeting held on July 8, 2025, Debbie Campbell from the Facebook group “Menhaden - Little Fish, Big Deal” presented a plaque to the Board in gratitude for their efforts to regulate menhaden overfishing in the Chesapeake Bay. The plaque reads: “Big Deal To Little Fish 2024 Northampton County Board of Supervisors.” The Board is one of ten recipients of the Big Friend to the Little Fish 2024 award.
Big Deal to Little Fish 2024 Northampton County Board of Supervisors plaque
A Strong Statement for Environmental Protection
The group commended the Board’s 2024 resolution, highlighting it as a significant declaration regarding the environmental effects of menhaden overfishing, as well as its commitment to the economy and quality of life for Eastern Shore residents in Northampton County. This resolution, signed on January 9, 2024, is titled:
A RESOLUTION OF THE NORTHAMPTON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS APPROVING THE COUNTY’S POSITION THAT INDUSTRIAL ATLANTIC MENHADEN FISHING SHOULD BE PROHIBITED WITHIN THE WATERS OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY AND THREE MILES OF ALL LANDS OF THE COMMONWEALTH AND REQUESTING THAT THE VIRGINIA MARINE RESOURCE COMMISSION AND STATE AGENCIES LEGALLY ESTABLISH AND ENFORCE A PROHIBITION OF THE INDUSTRIAL ATLANTIC MENHADEN FISHERY WITHIN THE WATERS OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY AND WITHIN THREE MILES OF ANY LANDS OF THE COMMONWEALTH.
Legislative Agenda Insights
Curious about Northampton County's stance on key issues? Check out our series on the Legislative Agenda for Fiscal Year 2024:
Menhaden: We urge the State to allocate funding for comprehensive studies to ensure the protection of vital marine resources, such as menhaden, from overfishing. Additionally, we request the State to consider further regulations on the harvesting of these resources to safeguard the economy and quality of life for Eastern Shore residents.
Current Status
On January 9, 2024, the Northampton County Board of Supervisors reaffirmed their position with the resolution mentioned above.
Recent research from William & Mary’s Center for Conservation Biology indicates that the high chick mortality rate among ospreys is attributed to starvation, which the researchers link to the diminishing availability of menhaden due to overharvesting.
Additional Concerns
The resolution also notes:
- Both the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources reported record low recruitment numbers for striped bass in 2023, marking the fifth consecutive year of below-average juvenile striped bass numbers and the second lowest index since 1957.
- Research suggests that industrial menhaden fishing in the Chesapeake Bay may be contributing to the decline of striped bass (Buchheister et al. 2017, TRCP et al. 2019). The Virginia Institute of Marine Science has connected striped bass starvation to a decrease in forage food in the Chesapeake Bay, which predisposes fish to Mycobacteriosis, commonly known as fish wasting disease (Cardinal et al. 2001).
- The Virginia Marine Resources Commission reported that more purse seine nets are deployed by industrial menhaden fishing near Northampton County than anywhere else in Virginia (VMRC et al. 2022).
- Industrial menhaden fishing negatively impacts the economic health of Northampton County by disrupting sport fishing and charter businesses, leading to fish kills and spills that affect public beaches, private properties, and overall public health.
- Moreover, it disrupts the local tourism industry due to the adverse effects of fish spills, fish kills, and the persistent unpleasant odor associated with these incidents.
- Notably, all other states along the Atlantic Coast have banned industrial menhaden fishing from their bays and state waters, which has resulted in positive ecological and economic outcomes (Main et al. 2023).
Northampton County is advocating for state regulation of this industry, as it is evidently harming our wildlife and way of life.
The complete resolution is available for review on Board Docs under the January 9, 2024, Board of Supervisors meeting.
Community Engagement
Since then, recent studies have revealed a complete collapse of the osprey population on the Atlantic side of the Eastern Shore due to starvation. Northampton County expresses gratitude to our citizens for remaining informed about this pressing issue and for raising it with lawmakers who can assist in safeguarding this essential resource. Fostering robust citizen involvement is an integral part of our mission statement.
Debbie Campbell also acknowledged Thomas Burkett and Roberta Kellam for their dedicated efforts in creating an informative presentation for the Board's consideration.