Blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) and flathead catfish (Pylodictis olivaris) were both introduced to the Chesapeake Bay to establish recreational fisheries. Blue catfish were introduced into the James, Rappahannock, and York Rivers in Virginia during the 1970s and 1980s and flathead catfish were introduced into the James River in the late 1960s. Since that time, both non-native species have become established, spread, and are considered invasive because of their potential to negatively impact native species and the ecology of the Bay.
The Invasive Catfish Task Force (ICTF) was established in 2012 by the Chesapeake Bay Program‟s Sustainable Fisheries Goal Implementation Team (SF-GIT) and charged with identifying management options that could be applied Bay-wide to respond to the spread of invasive blue and flathead catfish and to concerns that these species may cause ecological and economic harm to Chesapeake Bay. In February 2014, the ICTF produced a draft report that included background information on the ICTF, the problem and scope, an overview of invasive catfishes, current management efforts, and seven recommendations. The stated intent of the draft report was that it was to be used “…as a resource for decision-makers with a suite of recommendations that can be taken for the Chesapeake Bay jurisdictions to develop coordinated management strategies for invasive catfishes.” The SF-GIT requested a review of the ICTF report and recommendations by the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC), and the request was approved by STAC in March 2014; focus questions for reviewers were presented to the Review Team by the ICTF in April 2014.
The STAC assembled a team of 7 professionals with backgrounds in the control and management of invasive fishes, fish biology, estuarine ecology, and resource economics to review the ICTF report. The charge from STAC to the review team was to provide comments on the technical feasibility, reasonableness, likelihood of success, and potential unintended effects that may result for each of 7 recommendations. In addition, reviewers were asked to identify other science or management approaches to consider and priority research challenges (and strategies to overcome these challenges) for effective management of invasive catfishes.
Suggested Citation:
Bilkovic, D.M. and T.F. Ihde. 2014. Review of the final report of the Sustainable Fisheries Goal Implementation Team Invasive Catfish Task Force. Chesapeake Bay Program Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee. No. 14-007, Edgewater, MD. 46 pp.