New Video Series Highlights Importance of Atlantic Menhaden

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by: Ryan Lockwood

posted in: Press Releases

August 19, 2026

TRCP’s 10-part ‘The Most Important Fish in the Sea’ series features breathtaking wildlife footage and interviews with a diverse range of local experts, anglers, scientists, small businesses, and artists to explain what these critical baitfish are and why they matter

Over the last eight months, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership released an educational video series centered on Atlantic menhaden to raise public awareness about this critical baitfish and its management, particularly in the Chesapeake Bay.

The 10 short videos feature local experts, anglers, scientists, and conservationists from Virginia Beach to Montauk, N.Y., to capture the significance of this small, yet mighty, fish – presented with award-winning footage of the species being pursued by predators in its natural environment.

Menhaden (also called pogies or bunker) are a small, oil-dense forage fish – similar to herring or sardines – that serve as food, or “forage,” for sportfish, marine mammals, and seabirds. This keystone species is often referred to as “the most important fish in the sea” because it provides a necessary foundation for healthy ecosystems, transferring energy from plankton to much larger fish and wildlife higher in the food chain. Menhaden also support charter businesses, bait and tackle industries, and commercial lobster and crab fisheries as one of the most important sources of bait on the Atlantic.

“Menhaden fuel entire ecosystems and economies,” said Jaclyn Lunaas, forage fish program manager for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “But rather than simply take our word for it, we wanted these videos to feature our respected partners and other well-known figures to explain in their own words why these small fish matter so much to so many.”

TRCP partners including the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, Audubon, and the Virginia Saltwater Sportfishing Association are featured in the videos, as well as footage from professional drone photographers Joanna Steidle – winner of the top prize at the inaugural International Aerial Photographer of the Year Awards in 2025 – along with Sutton Lake Lynch and Chris Paparo, who also have garnered international attention with their eye-catching footage of menhaden. Legendary saltwater flats fishing guide Captain Paul Dixon, who served as a producer and technical advisor for the 2025 fly fishing film “Looking Through Water,” starring Michael Douglas and Walker Scobell, is also featured.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, which is responsible for coastwide menhaden management, is currently exploring possible management changes that include options to reduce the Chesapeake Bay’s industrial menhaden harvest and more evenly distribute commercial fishing pressure across the fishing season. The Bay is considered the most important and largest nursery for Atlantic menhaden.

TRCP and partner conservation groups are also urging the ASMFC to reduce the coastwide Atlantic menhaden catch limit to align with the most recent stock assessment results and to initiate a process this fall to reallocate state quotas, in part to reduce fishing pressure in the Bay.

Watch the full video playlist HERE.

Learn more about TRCP’s efforts toward better menhaden conservation HERE.

Banner image courtesy Joanna Steidle

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by: Dan Morgan

posted in: Press Releases

August 14, 2026

TRCP Welcomes Interior Action Expanding Hunting and Fishing Access on National Wildlife Refuges

Final rule will deliver largest expansion of refuge and hatchery access in Fish and Wildlife Service history

Today, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership welcomed the announcement of a final rule from the Department of the Interior expanding hunting and fishing access at 111 national wildlife refuges and national fish hatcheries across 32 states. The rule will add nearly 1,500 new hunting and fishing opportunities, opening more than 92 million acres—over 95 percent of National Wildlife Refuge System lands— for hunting access, marking the largest such expansion in U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service history.

“Hunters and anglers have long been central to conserving wildlife and habitat in this country, and national wildlife refuges are no exception,” said Joel Webster, TRCP’s chief conservation officer. “We appreciate the Department of the Interior’s work to expand access to these lands in a way that is consistent with wildlife conservation and the laws that guide the refuge system’s unique mission.”

The final rule will build on the direction set by Secretarial Order 3447 and aims to deliver on the priorities of the Make America Beautiful Again Commission. It will include more than 1,000 updates to existing regulations intended to reduce complexity and better align federal rules with state fish and wildlife laws. National wildlife refuges were established with strong support from hunters and anglers, and the 1997 National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act identifies hunting and fishing among six priority, wildlife-dependent public uses that receive enhanced consideration in refuge management. Expanding scientifically regulated access consistent with state management could allow refuges to continue demonstrating effective wildlife stewardship while connecting the public directly to conservation.

The final rule is expected to publish in the Federal Register in time for hunting season.

Learn more by visiting: Department of the Interior Announces Largest Expansion of Hunting and Fishing Opportunities in U.S. Fish and Wildlife History | U.S. Department of the Interior

The TRCP is your resource for all things conservation. In our weekly Roosevelt Report, you’ll receive the latest news on emerging habitat threats, legislation and proposals on the move, public land access solutions we’re spearheading, and opportunities for hunters and anglers to take action. Sign up now.

by: Dan Morgan

posted in: Press Releases

August 3, 2026

Hunters and Anglers Applaud Senate Introduction of MAP Roads Act

Bill would direct Department of Transportation to establish grant program to fund the digitization of county public roads

Senators John Curtis (R-Utah) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz) have introduced the Modernizing Access to Public Roads Act into the Senate. The bill would establish a grant program through the U.S. Department of Transportation to address the mapping shortfalls and improve public access on the rural road systems across America, resulting in reduced confusion, fewer conflicts with private landowners, and easier access for hunters and anglers.

This is a bipartisan, bicameral effort, with the House version of this bill sponsored by Representative Blake Moore (R-Utah) and cosponsored by Representative Val Hoyle (D-Ore.), Representative Jeff Hurd (R-Colo.), and Representative Susie Lee (D-Nev.). 

“The lack of publicly accessible and accurate county road map information is a key barrier for hunters and anglers trying to access public lands,” said Joel Webster, chief conservation officer of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “The bipartisan, bicameral MAP Roads Act will provide funding to address these mapping shortfalls and improve public access, resulting in reduced confusion for hunters and anglers trying to navigate rural road systems across America. TRCP applauds Senators Curtis and Kelly, as well as Representatives Moore, Hoyle, Hurd, and Lee, for their leadership on this bill”

The MAP Roads Act builds on the success of the MAPLand Act, MAPWaters Act, and MAPOceans Act by establishing a $20 million, 5-year pilot grant program through the U.S. Department of Transportation to:

⦁ Fund county road digitization by converting paper or outdated formats into standardized geospatial datasets.

⦁ Create publicly accessible statewide road data repositories that distinguish public and private roads, are compatible with third-party mapping platforms, and are updated annually.

⦁ Provide funds to support local capacity toward county subgrants, personnel training, or hiring contractors for data conversion.

The clarity and accessibility to this information for both the public and local municipalities would improve rural commerce, public safety, navigation, and access to public lands so more Americans can confidently access and enjoy their public roadways and the adventures beyond. The MAP Roads Act would not create any new road authority, or alter any legal status, ownership, or jurisdiction of roads.

“Access is essential to conserving our hunting traditions and connecting people with the upland habitats that make those traditions possible,” said Ariel Wiegard, Vice President of Government Relations for Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever. “The bipartisan MAP Roads Act will modernize county road records, giving hunters greater confidence as they access public lands while reducing confusion and inadvertent trespass. We thank the Senate sponsors for advancing this commonsense, bipartisan solution that benefits hunters, conservation, and rural communities.”

“Accurate and accessible maps are fundamental to ensuring Americans can safely and confidently access our public lands and waters,” said Kaden McArthur, Congressional Affairs Director for Trout Unlimited. “We thank Senators Curtis and Kelly for their leadership on the MAP Roads Act, which will modernize outdated public road information and make it easier for anglers and other outdoor recreators to find reliable, legal access to rivers, streams, and other public destinations. By improving the accuracy and availability of these maps, this bipartisan legislation will help people spend less time navigating road systems and more time enjoying the outdoors.”

Learn more about TRCP’s commitment to public access HERE.

by: Aaron Field

posted in: Press Releases

USDA Awards $53 Million for Habitat and Access

The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership applauds the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s investment in habitat and hunting and fishing access across the country.

The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) on July 31, announced a $53 million investment in hunting and fishing access through the Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP).

VPA-HIP supports state-led programs, tailored to the needs of local landowners, hunters, and anglers. It is the only federal program designed to incentivize willing landowners to allow hunting and fishing access. It also supports streamlined habitat improvement on those same acres.

“As the Chief of NRCS, one of my top priorities is to expand wildlife conservation and outdoor access; the Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program is a key part of our strategy to execute that priority,” said NRCS Chief Colton L. Buckley. “This program – made possible by the Working Families Tax Cuts Act – prioritizes farmers and ranchers while strengthening rural economies through support of wildlife conservation and outdoor recreation. These projects encourage landowners to allow the public to access their land for hunting, fishing, and other wildlife-dependent recreation.”

TRCP has been a major supporter of VPA-HIP since its inception, and we’ve worked hard to ensure it remains authorized and funded. This award represents the largest single investment in VPA-HIP in history, and the first federal support these programs have received in years.

“Finding access is one of the biggest challenges hunters and anglers face, especially those of us without large blocks of public land nearby,.” said Aaron Field, TRCP’s director of private lands conservation. “We applaud NRCS for this investment and look forward to the great hunting and fishing opportunities it will create nationwide.”

Learn more about VPA-HIP here.

by: Josh Metten

posted in: Press Releases

June 29, 2026

Wyoming Sportspeople Applaud Sublette Pronghorn Antelope Migration Corridor Designation

State action a crucial step in conserving the world’s longest known pronghorn migration

Last week, Governor Mark Gordon formally designated the Sublette antelope corridor using Migration Corridor Executive Order 2020-1. Speaking at the Trappers Point wildlife overpass where thousands of pronghorn antelope migrate annually, Governor Gordon emphasized that durable conservation is built from the ground up and that Wyoming’s collaborative, locally led approach to corridor conservation will benefit future generations.

This action is the culmination of over 20 years of Wyoming-led research, policy development, and stakeholder engagement. In 2020, Governor Gordon signed Executive Order 2020-1, giving Wyoming a state-led tool to manage for the intactness and viability of its big game migration corridors amid growing development pressure. This step prioritizes conservation of the corridor’s most sensitive habitats by directing development away from bottlenecks, limiting development in high use and stopover areas, and minimizing impacts throughout the corridor.

“Wyoming is the epicenter of pronghorn hunting, and with the longest migration and largest population in the world, the Sublette herd is globally renowned,” said Josh Metten, Wyoming field manager for the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “The Governor’s action to prioritize the conservation of this incredible resource is only fitting. Thank you, Governor Gordon.”

In early 2026, the proposed corridor received a formal review by a local working group comprised of representatives from the energy and mining industries as well as agriculture, motorized recreation, conservation, and county commissions. In addition to supporting the management safeguards now afforded to the most sensitive areas of the corridor, the group also emphasized the importance of strong state policy paired with voluntary private land conservation.

“The Sublette antelope corridor designation is a historic milestone that shows what happens when Wyomingites work together to build durable, state-led policy that supports our wildlife and way of life,” said Metten. “Hunters and anglers appreciate the leadership of Governor Gordon, Deputy Policy Director Sara DiRienzo, the local working group, and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. We look forward to building on Wyoming’s legacy to ensure that our incredible migrations and hunting heritage endure for generations.”

Learn more about TRCP’s commitment to big game migration HERE.

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