Blue Catfish

Background

Native to the Mississippi and Ohio River basins, this apex predator was introduced to the James, Rappahannock, and York river basins in Virginia for recreational fishing in the 1970s and 1980s. Blue catfish are a powerhouse of a species — occupying both fresher water and seawater, growing more than 100 pounds in its lifetime, and have few natural predators in the Chesapeake Bay.

The Problem 

Blue catfish are opportunist predators — feeding on important native Bay species like menhaden, herring, blue crabs, oysters and clams. They consume 8 to 9 percent of their body weight per day, and represent up to 75% of the biomass in the James, Rappahannock, and York rivers on Virginia's western shore of the Chesapeake Bay. Management strategies have begun to be put in place to mitigate the takeover of the blue catfish, but this fish's effects are still evident. 

The Solution?

The only way out is through — eating through, that is. The good thing about blue catfish? They taste delicious, quite different from their chanel catfish counterpart, since they eat in the water column. The Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center, under guidance by Aquaculture Specialist and Associate Director Michael Schwarz, is currently working on a comprehensive initiative to address this problem. 

Eat More Fish

Eat More Fish is a consumer education program through Virginia Cooperative Extension that aims to help more folks enjoy seafood at home. This free webinar series covers topics from food safety to how to purchase, handle and cook seafood — all from local seafood experts. 

In the News

• LISTEN: Curious Conversations with Michael Schwarz
• LISTEN: Gravy: Virginia Has the Blue Catfish Blues
• LISTEN: With Good Reason: Delicious Predator
• WATCH: Virginia Farm Bureau: Virginia's Blue Catfish Threatens Native Species

Publications

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