Catfish to cat food: The latest effort to put a dent in the Chesapeake Bay’s blue catfish population
Creative solutions to the growing problem that blue catfish pose to the Chesapeake Bay aren’t new, but the latest one may help keep pets full and the bay in better shape.
There’s currently a bipartisan effort on Capitol Hill that has come up with a new plan in the battle against the blues.
The Mitigation Action and Watermen Support Act, or MAWS Act, has been introduced by Maryland Reps. Sarah Elfreth and Steny Hoyer alongside Virginia Reps. Rob Wittman and Jen Kiggans.
The bill would create a pilot program that tasks the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Chesapeake Bay Office with collecting data that would eventually create a new market for the Chesapeake Bay blue catfish in the pet food industry.
“The blue catfish were introduced in the ’70s and they can live up to 20 years and weigh up to 100 pounds,” said Atalie Ebersole, the senior director of government relations for the Pet Food Institute.
While they’re a massive problem for the bay, they could be a tasty addition to meals enjoyed by household pets — cats and dogs alike.
Ebersole said catfish is already an approved ingredient in pet foods.
“Currently, we are using 918 tons of catfish meal and 896 tons of catfish in pet food,” she said. “We can hopefully benefit from this program to make sure we have good catfish coming into pet food production.”
The blue catfish is among the most unwelcome guests to the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. The invasive species chows down on environmentally — and economically — important native species, like blue crabs, striped bass and Atlantic menhaden.
There have been attempts to stem the invasion of the whiskered visitor before.
In March 2023, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore sought a federal fisheries disaster declaration, thanks to the damage the big, hungry fish were doing.
The Maryland Department of Tourism has even featured a recipe for “Crispy Maryland Blue Catfish,” encouraging anglers to make a meal of the fish.
A hearing on the bill is expected on Capitol Hill this month, according to Elfreth’s office.