Natural Resources - Invasive Blue Catfish Pilot Program
HB446 makes two related changes to Maryland’s Natural Resources law governing commercial blue and flathead catfish trotline fishing. First, it limits Department of Natural Resources regulations so they may not bar a licensed commercial blue and flathead catfish finfish trotline license holder from fishing in the main stem of the Chesapeake Bay south of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Second, it creates the Invasive Blue Catfish Pilot Program, which is intended to reduce the spread of invasive blue catfish in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries by expanding and testing commercial harvest methods.
The pilot program directs the Department, working with the Invasive Catfish Advisory Committee, to operate several initiatives, including a for-hire/commercial blue catfish program and a mid- and lower-Bay trotline program. It authorizes the Department to make regulatory and administrative changes to increase harvest, consider electrofishing, longer trotlines, no hook limits, and non-corrodible hooks, and to expand effective practices during the life of the program. The Department must also report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly by December 1, 2025. The Act takes effect immediately as an emergency measure and is temporary, expiring June 30, 2026.
In practical terms, the bill affects the Department of Natural Resources, commercial fishers, and for-hire fishing operators by loosening certain fishing restrictions and creating a structured pilot effort to encourage more blue catfish removal. It amends § 4-701.2 of the Natural Resources Article and temporarily overrides any conflicting regulations to the extent they would prohibit fishing in the specified portion of the Chesapeake Bay. The bill is aimed at invasive species management rather than expanding general fishing rights.
The overall sentiment reflected in the voting history is strongly supportive and unanimous in both chambers, with the House passing the bill 134-0 and the Senate passing it 47-0. That suggests broad bipartisan agreement that invasive blue catfish pose a significant environmental and fisheries management problem and that the state should encourage more harvesting as a control strategy. The emergency and temporary nature of the law also indicates a sense of urgency and a willingness to test the approach before deciding whether to continue it.
The main points of contention, as reflected in the bill text, are not partisan but operational: how far the Department should go in relaxing fishing rules, where trotlines should be allowed, and how to balance increased harvest against bycatch, user conflicts, and other management concerns. The bill gives the Department discretion to restrict some areas south of the bridge if needed, which suggests the legislature wanted to promote harvest while preserving flexibility to address safety, conservation, and competing waterway uses.
HB446 temporarily amends Maryland’s Natural Resources Article, § 4-701.2, by constraining DNR regulations that would otherwise prevent commercial blue and flathead catfish trotline license holders from fishing in the main stem of the Chesapeake Bay south of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. It also creates a short-term Invasive Blue Catfish Pilot Program that authorizes DNR to expand commercial and for-hire harvest methods, test additional gear and regulatory changes, and report back to the Governor and General Assembly. The bill affects DNR rulemaking authority, commercial catfish licensees, for-hire fishing operators, and management of invasive species in the Chesapeake Bay and tributaries.
The bill appears to have enjoyed very strong support, passing the House 134-0 and the Senate 47-0. The unanimous votes suggest broad agreement that invasive blue catfish are a serious ecological and fisheries issue and that increasing harvest is a practical response. The emergency designation and temporary pilot structure also indicate a shared interest in acting quickly while preserving the ability to evaluate results.
There was little visible legislative opposition in the voting record, but the bill’s design reflects several management tradeoffs. The Department is given authority to limit trotline areas based on bycatch, user conflicts, or other concerns, showing that the main debate is likely about how to maximize blue catfish removal without creating new problems for other fishers or the ecosystem. The bill also contemplates potentially controversial tools such as electrofishing, longer trotlines, unlimited hooks, and non-corrodible hooks, which may raise conservation or enforcement concerns even though the final votes were unanimous.