Bugfish, pogy, American sardine. The menhaden gets talked about in various ways, including how it's an important link in the marine food web and concerns about overfishing. Standing on the pier at Chesapeake Biological Laboratory in Solomons, Maryland, I witnessed the stunning dance of menhaden—the largest fishery in the bay, by volume.
Jellies of the Damariscotta
Sitting in the front of a canoe, I dipped my paddle into the salty waters of the Damariscotta River, a 19-mile long tidal river that feeds into the Gulf of Maine. Morning sunlight shimmered on the surface. A faint breeze rippled the water. All was calm on my morning paddling trip at the end of …