Invasive blue catfish are so prominent in the Chesapeake Bay and surrounding waters that Maryland officials are telling recreational anglers and commercial operators that they can catch as many of them as they want — all in the name of preserving the ecosystem.
The fish was introduced to the area in the 1970s and has proliferated to the point that one expanse in the Potomac River may have more than 50% of the species by biomass, Southern Maryland News reported.
The Maryland Catfish Trail offers seven spots for baiting the blues, as well as flathead catfish and snakehead, which are also invasive.
"We have a lot of them out there, so for folks who want to go out fishing, you can go out and bring home as many as you want and whatever size you want," Joseph Love of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources told Southern Maryland News.
In addition to fishers, restaurants and grocers are also helping, as the blue catfish provides the double win of boosting business with a great-tasting meal while helping the environment via the removal of invasives.
Monica Daley, a local restaurant owner, told the News that the flaky texture of the fish is important. It resembles cod or haddock and tastes as good as striped bass, she said. Customers buy 60 pounds' worth of fillets per week, and each meal sells for $18.50.
It's a familiar story, as conservation departments everywhere are urging consumers to eat all kinds of "ugly" fish, including snakehead and carp — which are being branded as channa and copi, respectively, to increase their appeal.
This "invasivorism" helps to knock down problematic populations of invasive species, which outcompete native species for vital resources.
Over 10 years, per the News, commercial blue catfish landings quadrupled to 4 million pounds in 2023. The creature eats blue crabs, shad, herring, mussels, seagrasses, and clams and can grow to at least 84 pounds, as the state-record catch proves.
Commercial fishing companies don't get much for a pound of catfish — 80 cents, one angler told the News — but they can catch the animals in great numbers, and the money quickly adds up.
"It's a good income for some fishermen," Billy Rice said. "Once you catch your quota [with the others], you're done; with catfish, it's game on."
The blue catfish weren't part of the scene two decades ago. But they soon began leaping into nets. The peak of their takeover may be past, too, which is a sign that the emphasis on controlling them is working.
"When we first started 12, 15 years ago, it was catching," Rice told the News. "It was just game on, and you'd load the boat anytime you went. Now it's gotten to the point where it's fishing, so I guess what I'm trying to say is on the Potomac, our commercial fishing is putting a dent in them by a fair amount. You don't take 3 million pounds out of one river and not make a difference."
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