MARYLAND – U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks on Thursday announced $1 million in federal funding to boost processing of invasive blue catfish on Maryland’s Eastern Shore – a move expected to support watermen and seafood businesses across Delmarva.
The funding will go to BSA Seafood LLC in Caroline County through a U.S. Department of Agriculture program aimed at expanding meat and seafood processing capacity.
Invasive blue catfish have spread throughout the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, including Eastern Shore waterways, where they prey on native species such as blue crabs and striped bass – both critical to the region’s fishing economy.
Van Hollen said the investment is designed to turn an environmental challenge into an economic opportunity for the Eastern Shore and broader Delmarva region.
“Invasive blue catfish are one of the biggest threats to the health of the Chesapeake Bay and those who count on it for their livelihoods,” he said. “This investment supports our watermen in harvesting blue catfish and helps local seafood companies get it onto Americans’ dinner tables.”
Alsobrooks said the funding helps protect a resource central to life and commerce on the Eastern Shore.
“The Bay fuels Maryland’s economy, generates tourism, and provides critical wildlife habitat,” she said. “Addressing invasive species like blue catfish is key to preserving it.”
Officials say expanding local processing capacity could make it easier for watermen to catch and sell blue catfish, creating new revenue streams while reducing pressure on native fisheries.
The funding comes through a program created under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The USDA has also committed to purchasing $2 million worth of blue catfish, a step supporters say could further strengthen markets for the fish across the Delmarva Peninsula.