Maryland Schools Serve Blue Catfish to Combat Invasive Population
State officials and watermen are turning to a tasty fish to reduce the number of blue catfish threatening native species in the Chesapeake Bay.
By Olivia Miller ·
Schoolchildren in Caroline County, Maryland, are eating blue catfish to help control the invasive species that now dominates parts of the Chesapeake Bay. The fish, which can grow over 100 pounds, has become an apex predator in the waterway, consuming native crabs and other fish at alarming rates. Local school districts are serving the meat as a protein option to reduce its population.
The blue catfish is not native to the region. It originated in the Midwest and was introduced to Virginia rivers in the 1970s for recreational fishing. Officials expected the freshwater fish to stay in upstream areas, but the species proved able to tolerate the brackish water of the bay. A record rainfall event in 2018 helped the fish spread further. Today, the species is found in every tidal tributary of Maryland and the main body of the Chesapeake Bay.
In some locations, blue catfish account for 70% of the total fish biomass. This shift threatens the local seafood industry and cultural staples like the blue crab. Virginia officials have described the population as out of control, noting that the fish consume forage species like menhaden and young crabs. The rapid reproduction of the catfish adds pressure to existing populations.
Maryland Department of Agriculture administrator Karen Fedor approached Beth Brewster, the food services director for Caroline County Public Schools, about eight years ago to find a culinary solution. Brewster’s team developed a crabcake-style dish made from blue catfish, nicknamed the "catty patty." The recipe received approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, allowing it to be served in schools across the country. The pandemic initially paused the program, but it resumed after Brewster connected with Bay2Tray, a California-based organization that links seafood with schools.
Rocky Rice, a fourth-generation waterman, illustrates the economic shift caused by the invasive fish. He began catching blue catfish 14 years ago as a way to work during the off-season. Now, the activity is his primary job. Rice fishes three days a week, often hauling in 1,000 pounds of fish in a single day. He uses hoop pots to trap the catfish and sells them without seasonal or size limits, as is common with invasive species.
The catch moves from the dock to processors, a step that faces logistical hurdles. Blue catfish is the only U.S. fish requiring USDA inspection for every shipment. This requirement limits the number of processors capable of handling the fish. Currently, only four facilities in Maryland are equipped to process the meat, despite grant support. The fish is now available in grocery stores, restaurants, and schools in Maryland and Virginia.
Jenn Lovewell, chief nutrition officer for Real Good Fish, which operates Bay2Tray, notes that the fish is being shipped to various markets, including a university in Texas. Both Lovewell and Brewster state that millions of pounds of blue catfish must be harvested annually just to maintain the current population levels. The goal is not eradication, but management through consumption.
Students at Preston Elementary School have accepted the new menu item. Some eat the fish cake with ketchup or mayonnaise, while others prefer it plain. The fish is served a few times a month alongside standard lunch items. For the children, the meal is a way to participate in local conservation efforts. For the state, it is a practical method to remove a problematic predator from the ecosystem.
