Introduction of the Mitigation Action and Watermen Support Act

The National Aquarium is committed to saving wildlife and habitats. We are concerned about invasive blue catfish and their harmful impacts on the Chesapeake Bay's ecosystem and native species. We recognize the importance of their commercial harvest as well as the need to address barriers to market demand, and applaud the creative problem-solving approach of the bipartisan Mitigation Action and Watermen Support (MAWS) Act, recently introduced in Congress. The National Aquarium endorses this legislation and offers the following statement in support:

"The invasive blue catfish has spread throughout the Chesapeake Bay, harming our ecosystems and iconic native species including blue crab and rockfish," said National Aquarium President and CEO John Racanelli. "As an organization committed to saving wildlife and habitats, the National Aquarium encourages people to consume blue catfish, and we proudly serve it in our café. We also believe there is strong potential for blue catfish to contribute to healthy pet and animal diets and are investigating the possibility of incorporating it into the diet of animals in our care. The National Aquarium applauds this bipartisan legislation and its innovative approach to help create new markets, support watermen, and spur demand for greater consumption of invasive blue catfish."