‘Curious Conversations’ podcast: Michael Schwarz talks about the Chesapeake Bay’s blue catfish problem
Michael Schwarz joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about the rapid invasion of blue catfish in the Chesapeake Bay, its ecological and economic impacts, and the promising potential for turning this challenge into an opportunity. He explained what makes the fish so problematic as well as the challenge of standing up sustainable fishing, processing, and marketing of this catfish and its unique taste and nutritional profile.
“Curious Conversations” is available on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube.
Takeaways
Indigenous to the Mississippi River drainage basin, blue catfish were introduced to Eastern Virginia in the 1970s and 1980s to enhance recreational fishing and have grown to become an apex predator in the Chesapeake Bay.
Schwarz estimates there are between 700 million and 1 billion pounds of blue catfish in the bay. They can grow to more than 100 pounds and can consume 8.5 percent of their body weight per day, eating native bay species such as menhaden, herring, blue crabs, oysters and clams.
Because of their diet and time in salt or brackish water, cooked blue catfish resemble many of the white, flakey fish traditionally caught in saltwater and have the potential to be successfully marketed to restaurants and fish consumers.
About Schwarz
Michael Schwarz is director of the Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center of Virginia Tech in Hampton. His research includes land-based and offshore aquaculture production system design and optimization, environmental optimization and identification of environmental production limits for aquaculture species, and the development of production protocols for new and emerging species.
Learn more
An invasive fish becomes a tasty entrée
The blue catfish: Wanted breaded or fried
Virginia Tech Cooperative Extension resources for buying, catching, and cooking seafood
About the podcast
"Curious Conversations" is a series of free-flowing conversations with Virginia Tech researchers that take place at the intersection of world-class research and everyday life. Produced and hosted by Travis Williams, assistant director of marketing and communications for the Office of Research and Innovation, university researchers share their expertise and motivations as well as the practical applications of their work in a format that more closely resembles chats at a cookout than classroom lectures. New episodes are shared each Tuesday.
