Jamaica Bay Meets the Menhaden
Spring is here, and the waters of Jamaica Bay are warming. With rising temperatures, the bay will welcome new life throughout the food chain.
In late March and April, which bring the first algae blooms of the year, the bay begins to see Atlantic menhaden, sometimes called “the most important fish in the sea”—one of the most plentiful and ecologically vital forage fish in the oceans. These filter feeders can process up to four gallons of water per minute, clarifying the water column, allowing more sunlight to penetrate, and helping aquatic plants to flourish. In turn, these plants release dissolved oxygen that other marine life depends on.
The menhaden’s feeding activity — intensifying through spring and summer — is crucial to the health of the bay. Excess nitrogen, primarily from sewer and stormwater runoff, drives massive algae blooms, which can harm aquatic life and degrade marshlands when left unchecked. Menhaden help offset these impacts through their natural filtration.
Moreover, menhaden are a vital food source for larger fish — including striped bass, blue fish, weakfish and dogfish — as well as birds of prey, including osprey and bald eagles. Recreational fishers in Jamaica Bay rely on healthy menhaden populations for bigger catches. In this way, the quality and quantity of menhaden act as an important ecological marker — and as an apt mascot — for Jamaica Bay’ health.
Marine biologist Sara Gottlieb, author of a significant study on menhaden’s filtering function, has compared their role to the human liver: “Just as your body needs its liver to filter out toxins, ecosystems also need those natural filters.” In other words, overfishing or harvesting menhaden is like trying to live without a liver.
Unlike many fish, menhaden spawn during the winter, typically from December through February in offshore waters. They breed in coastal waters, before their larvae drift into estuaries, like Jamaica Bay, where they grow into juveniles. These young fish remain in estuarine nurseries for about a year before swimming off to join adult schools in open waters, where they can live for up to 12 years.
The return of the menhaden also signals the return of a full calendar of events around Jamaica Bay. With 25 parks and activities for all ages and interests, there’s no shortage of ways to celebrate the spring season. A few upcoming highlights:
Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy (JBRPC) is hosting another “Park Pals” wildlife exploration session for young children (ages 0-6) on April 12th, at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge.
The National Park Service is hosting a Full Pink Moon Hike at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge on the evening of April 12th.
JBRPC also teamed up with Amateur Astronomers Association and Garden by the Bay for a solar observing session on April 18th at the Arverne East Nature Preserve.
In honor of Earth Day, JBRPC will host a shoreline cleanup at Broad Channel American Park on April 19. Volunteers will get to experience the springing of spring, while helping to keep our shorelines healthy and beautiful. We’ll provide gloves, trash pickers and bags, along with safety guidance from our staff. Participants should wear closed-toe shoes, bring water and sunscreen, and be prepared to get a little dirty.
And on May 3, JBRPC will host Run the Runways: Floyd Bennett Field’s Birthday Bash, a free event celebrating Floyd Bennett Field through movement and adventure on the occasion of the airfield’s dedication in May 1931. People of all ages are invited to join the 2-mile fun run (or walk) on historic runways once used by aviation legends like Amelia Earhart, Howard Hughes, Wiley Post, Jackie Cochran, and others. The afternoon will include picnicking (BYO picnic; we’ll have tables), a daytime DJ dance party, lawn games, photo opportunities (including with a surprise historic aviator!), and arts and crafts – including a giant group birthday card for Floyd Bennett Field and the opportunity for young aviators to make their own wings for ‘flight’ across the Hangar Lawn.
Happy spring to you and yours, from your friends at Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy. We hope to see you out in the parks soon! More details on all these events and more are available at JBRPC.org/events.