Good News on The Chesapeake Bay by David Reel

The Chesapeake Bay has a long history of serious challenges to its health and long-term sustainability as one of the most productive, vital, and largest ecosystems of its kind in the United States.

These challenges include discharges of untreated wastewater from wastewater treatment plants in Baltimore, runoff from farms, streets, parking lots, development, and sediment from Susquehanna River overflows at the Conowingo Dam.

A most serious challenge is ongoing observations by watermen, waterwomen, and marine biologists who continuously monitor the Bay’s ecosystem, that there are decreasing numbers of some native species and increasing numbers of invasive blue catfish.

Blue catfish are particularly difficult to catch because they have no natural predators. They are also voracious predators of native species such as blue crabs, clams, mussels, oysters, striped bass (rockfish), menhaden, American eel, and other economically and ecologically important species.

Unfortunately, the marine biologists have concluded that completely eradicating blue catfish in the Bay is not realistic. Instead, they suggest strategies to reduce their numbers to a point where native species can at least coexist with them and not become extinct.

Fortunately, that scenario is increasingly likely given good news on multiple fronts.

Good news from Washington, D.C.

In March of this year, the U.S. House of Representatives approved bipartisan legislation requiring the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to establish a two-year pilot program for agreements with pet food, animal feed, and aquaculture feed manufacturers or processors to purchase blue catfish harvested from the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. The legislation also addresses a burdensome, time-consuming post-harvest inspection requirement unique to blue catfish. The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.

Good news from Annapolis.

In the recently adjourned General Assembly, emergency legislation was approved to extend an Invasive Blue Catfish Pilot Program which is part of three pilot programs launched last year by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, all with the goal of reducing the numbers of blue catfish in the Bay. The emergency legislation also permits state licensed watermen and waterwomen new tools such as gill nets to expand their harvesting of Blue Catfish.

The Maryland Department of Agriculture continues to partner with the Maryland Department of the Environment on a Seafood Marketing Program, focused on promoting more consumption of Chesapeake blue catfish.

Good news from The University of Maryland.

Ignore the conventional wisdom that blue catfish harvested from the Chesapeake are bottom feeders, are foul tasting and are unsafe for human consumption.

Applied research done for the University Extension Service has affirmed that blue catfish taste good and are good for healthy eating habits.

With regard to taste, they reported that Chesapeake Bay blue catfish taste mild and flaky, with a taste similar to striped bass, also known widely as rockfish. Their reports also affirmed that adult blue catfish are not bottom feeders and thus don’t acquire a muddy taste.

With regard to healthy eating, the Extension Service reports that like most fish species, blue catfish filets are high in protein and Low in fat and cholesterol. Blue catfish filets also provide an abundance of certain healthy Omega-3 fatty acids (which are not found in land-based plants and animals products. Blue catfish filets also contain vitamin D and potassium.

Good news from beyond Maryland.

re are several coastal states in New England where watermen and waterwomen harvest seafood from the Atlantic Ocean.

They have been successful in reducing the numbers of three other invasive marine species:

Asian carp, Asian shore crabs, and European green crabs. All three were decimating native habitats in similar ways to blue catfish in Maryland.

The coastal New England states pursued making these three species more appealing as human food rather than trying to eradicate them fully.  As a result, all three of their invasive species appear on menus throughout New England.

Beyond New England, Asian carp has been rebranded as “Copi” and is a popular ingredient in fish tacos and fish sticks, as it has a light, white-fish flavor that is both affordable and accessible.

A final thought on good news for the Chesapeake Bay, with renewed hope there will be many more good news reports going forward.

Everyone who cares about the Chesapeake Bay can help save it even if they are not a marine biologist, waterman, waterwomen, seafood processor or active advocate for the Bay.

It can be done simply by regularly purchasing and consuming eating blue catfish that is available at local food stores.

All things considered, more consumption of fresh blue catfish harvested from the Chesapeake Bay can be a great combination of eating well, eating right, and supporting ongoing efforts to help ensure native marine species in the Bay not only survive, but also thrive.