The invasive blue catfish poses a severe ecological and economic threat to the chesapeake BAY watershed, outcompeting native species and disrupting vital commercial fisheries

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration awarded $2 million to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources on October 1, 2026, under the Congressionally Identified Awards and Projects program (CFDA 11.469) to support a comprehensive management initiative reducing invasive blue catfish biomass in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

The project pursues a three-pronged approach: supporting commercial harvest and consumption to reduce blue catfish abundance, supporting recreational harvest to reduce biomass, and conducting scientific research addressing key needs in Maryland's fishery management plan and the Chesapeake Bay Program's invasive catfish workgroup. By integrating targeted removal efforts with rigorous science, the initiative aims to safeguard regional biodiversity, protect aquatic habitats, and support long-term sustainability of Maryland's coastal economies.

Work is performed in Cape St. Claire, Maryland, with a period of performance from October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2030. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources serves as the prime recipient, operating under its Finance & Admin Services division.

To mitigate these impacts, the maryland department of natural resources (MDNR), alongside industry partners and local stakeholders, proposes a comprehensive management initiative to substantially reduce blue catfish biomass. Aligned with the chesapeake BAY programs invasive catfish management strategy, marylands aquatic nuisance species plan, and the states fishery management plan for tidewater catfish, this project leverages a three-pronged approach: 1. Reduce blue catfish abundance by supporting commercial harvest and consumption; 2. Reduce biomass of blue catfish by supporting recreational harvest; 3. Conduct scientific research that addresses key needs identified in the states fishery management plan and chesapeake BAY programs invasive catfish workgroup. By integrating targeted removal efforts with rigorous science, this project will safeguard regional biodiversity, protect vital aquatic habitats, and support the long-term sustainability of marylands coastal economies.