The Invasive Fish Maryland Diners Have Been Adding To Their Plates

Maryland is world-renowned for its seafood, local restaurants, and food festivals. You'll find everything from steamed crabs and fresh oysters to shrimp and rockfish on the menu courtesy of the state's proximity to the rich and vibrant ecosystem of Chesapeake Bay. However, there's one invasive fish that's negatively affecting that balanced biome and usurping the home of the native sea life: the blue catfish. Luckily, this freshwater fish also tastes delicious, which is why Maryland diners have been adding it to their plates at the request of city officials who want to better manage local waters, according to Southern Maryland News.

Blue catfish are native to the Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio river basins, but they have since spread into Maryland after being introduced to rivers in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. While these fish were believed to favor freshwater, they managed to swim further and thrive in the brackish waters of the bay. An adult blue catfish, which has silvery blue skin and a white belly, can grow larger than 100 pounds and up to five feet, making it a hefty specimen. As these predatory fish multiply, they are affecting native species, such as shad, blue crab, and striped bass, by feeding on plants, insects, and other fish. They are also eating the oysters that help to filter Chesapeake Bay's waters. At a 2025 dinner hosted by the St. Mary's Chamber of Commerce to raise awareness of this issue, blue catfish was served to encourage guests to eat more of it in the future.

A whopping 10,000 tons of invasive blue catfish can be found in Chesapeake Bay, which is why the state of Maryland is fervently urging locals to dine on this mild and clean-tasting catch with gusto. State fishery managers are also calling on people to report back when they eat a batch of blue catfish at local restaurants to keep tabs on consumption. The Maryland Department of Agriculture is encouraging eateries to put blue catfish on their menus and continuing with the many campaigns rolled out over the years to maximize consumption.

Blue catfish has a firm texture that's similar to striped bass, making it a versatile protein to center family meals around. It's perfect for grilling, roasting, and baking, but fried catfish is a Southern staple that always delivers. Fried catfish has rich, complex origins that stretch back to the Black experience in America, and today, it is billed as comforting soul food. Last year, huge numbers of catfish were recalled in three US states, which might have deterred consumers from purchasing the fish. Having said that, recreational catfish angling is still a popular pastime in Chesapeake Bay.