Maryland wants invasive fish out of the water — and on your dinner table

Branson Williams, the first invasive fishes program manager for Maryland's Department of Natural Resources, is working to combat the growing threat of invasive fish in the state's waters. Blue catfish, flathead catfish, and northern snakehead have been wreaking havoc on native species and altering the ecosystem. To encourage the removal of these fish, the state has placed no limits on how many can be caught and has made it illegal to introduce them into state waters. The state has also encouraged restaurants and grocery stores to offer blue catfish and snakehead, and recently released a list of places where they can be found. A community environmental organization, the Environmental Justice Journalism Initiative, is paying anglers $30 bounties for each invasive fish they catch. The program has collected 384 fish since May and aims to engage residents in lower-income neighborhoods in environmental issues. Anglers and chefs are also working to increase consumption of the invasive fish, with some even renaming the northern snakehead as "Chesapeake Channa" to improve its public image.