The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced USD 6 million (EUR 5.2 million) in grant funding to increase catfish processing in the Chesapeake Bay region as part of an ongoing state and federal effort to manage the invasive species.
First introduced as a recreational fish in the 1960s, blue catfish quickly spread throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed, predating on and taking resources from native species and upsetting local ecosystems. State and federal governments, as well as local nonprofit organizations, have worked to remove catfish from the waters, incentivizing fishers to land more of the invasive species, encouraging consumers to eat more, and finding new applications for the fish.
On 6 August, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced the availability of USD 6 million in grant funding through the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program. Grants will be awarded to independent businesses that build and modernize their catfish-processing equipment and workforce, with eligible projects receiving between USD 250,000 and USD 1 million (EUR 215,100 and EUR 860,400).
“This will not only scale capacity and efficiency but also help reduce invasive species populations that are decimating marine ecosystems and threatening the economy of the fishing industry,” USDA said in a release.
Grant recipients must cover 50 percent of the project costs. Applications are due 6 October.
As part of the initiative, USDA will also launch a one-year pilot program to purchase USD 2 million (EUR 1.7 million) worth of Chesapeake Bay blue catfish for distribution to food banks and other federal supplemental nutrition programs.
“I want to thank USDA and Secretary Rollins for making this critical funding available. The USD 6 million available through the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program is a big win for Maryland’s watermen and coastal communities. This investment will help us fight back against the invasive blue catfish species that’s threatening our native fisheries and hurting local economies. It’s just one more way the Trump administration is supporting healthy, competitive, and sustainable seafood production right here at home. Marylanders are grateful for the partnership and support,” U.S. Representative Andy Harris (R-Maryland) said in a statement.
The investment in catfish processing was announced following Rollins’ visit to Tilghman Island Seafood in Tilghman, Maryland, U.S.A., which processes local catfish.
“The project here in Maryland I visited today with Representative Harris is a win for our rural communities who now have a new processing facility that will support good paying jobs, a win for our fishermen who are ridding the Chesapeake of a destructive invasive species, and a win for our local communities who have another source of protein for the charitable feeding network,” Rollins said. “President Trump has directed USDA to think creatively, move quickly, and ensure our rural communities are supported so that America prospers for generations to come. This is about more than just a funding announcement; it is about being able to feed ourselves and opening new markets for our fishermen and producers to continue their livelihoods. The Trump administration is working to ensure rural America is strong, secure, and resilient for generations to come.”
