# Mid-Atlantic osprey breeding crisis

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/mid-atlantic-osprey-breeding-crisis
> Updated: 2026-09-17T01:05:28.000Z. Sources: 5. Developments: 2.

Ospreys in the Mid-Atlantic region are experiencing a breeding crisis linked to a shortage of menhaden (bunker) fish. In early September, reports from New Jersey indicated that the 2025 mating season saw a 57% nest failure rate, the worst in 30 years. Researchers noted that food scarcity led to reduced egg-laying and increased nest abandonment, while on Long Island, prey migration north was observed due to low nutrient levels.

By mid-September, a Stockton University study revealed even more severe outcomes in South Jersey. Researchers found that 85% of chicks at monitored sites along the Mullica River and Great Bay were lost during the season. These findings contradict a recent decision by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Fish and Wildlife agency to reclassify ospreys from “threatened” to “stable” status, suggesting the decline is a broader trend affecting the East Coast.

## Claims

- Osprey nest productivity and nesting success are declining in New Jersey and along much of the East Coast. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- 85 percent of osprey chicks at monitored South Jersey nest sites were lost this season. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- A lack of sufficient food is an apparent reason for the decline in osprey chick survival. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Of 54 eggs and three chicks recorded in May, only nine chicks fledged by August in the monitored South Jersey sites. (corroborated by 2 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-09-17: Stockton University study finds 85% loss of South Jersey osprey chicks

A Stockton University study reveals an 85 percent loss of osprey chicks in South Jersey, suggesting food shortages are driving a decline in nesting success across the East Coast.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/stockton-university-study-finds-85-loss-of-south-jersey-osprey-chicks

### 2026-09-03: Ospreys face breeding crisis due to menhaden fish shortage

Ospreys in the Mid-Atlantic are experiencing severe breeding failures, with nest failure rates in New Jersey reaching 57% due to a critical shortage of menhaden fish.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ospreys-face-breeding-crisis-due-to-menhaden-fish-shortage

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Cite as: Mid-Atlantic osprey breeding crisis. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/mid-atlantic-osprey-breeding-crisis