Today, while we are seeing the devastating effects of Isaias, we are also celebrating a victory for Atlantic seabirds. A small forage fish called Atlantic menhaden, which serve as a major food source for many seabirds on the East Coast, has been properly recognized as the foundation of the ocean ecosystem. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission voted unanimously today to adopt a new approach, known as ecological reference points, to ensure the menhaden population never drops below levels that would put birds and other wildlife at risk. Managing fish this way would mean more menhaden and healthier marine life from Maine to Florida, while allowing commercial fishing to continue. Often called “the most important fish in the sea,” Atlantic menhaden are in the herring family and are critical to the health of estuary ecosystems along the Atlantic Seaboard. Menhaden play a key role in the marine food web, especially for many coastal and marine birds including Brown...