New Pilot Program Pays Pet Food Makers $2M Annually to Buy Invasive Blue Catfish from Chesapeake Watermen

The Mitigation Action and Watermen Support Act of 2025, or MAWS Act, is setting up a three-year pilot program designed to tackle two problems at once: invasive blue catfish and economic support for Chesapeake Bay watermen. Starting January 1, 2027, the Secretary of Commerce (through NOAA) will hand out federal money to specific businesses—called “covered entities”—to buy blue catfish from local fishers. These covered entities are defined as companies that make pet food, animal feed, or aquaculture feed. The program is authorized to spend $2 million each fiscal year for its three-year run.

The Invasive Species Problem Meets the Supply Chain

Blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) are invasive, massive, and highly destructive to the native Chesapeake Bay ecosystem. The MAWS Act aims to create a reliable, subsidized market to encourage watermen to catch more of them. Here’s the key mechanism: the federal funds go to the feed manufacturers, who must then use that money to buy the catfish from watermen or processors at a guaranteed minimum price set by the Secretary. This minimum price must account for market conditions and whether the fish is sold whole or processed into a fillet or byproduct.

For watermen, this is a direct shot of economic stability. If you’re a waterman struggling with volatile fish prices, suddenly having a guaranteed buyer for a fish you can catch plentifully—at a floor price set by the government—is a big deal. For the feed manufacturer, the federal funding acts as a subsidy, reducing the cost of raw material (the catfish meat) needed for their products. The bill allows these companies to use up to 15% of the awarded funds just to cover the logistics of shipping the fish to their processing plants.

Where the Catch Comes From and Who Pays for It

To keep things legitimate, the bill requires strict certification. The waterman selling the fish must certify that they caught it within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. If a processor is involved, they must certify they bought it from a waterman who caught it there. This system relies on honest reporting to ensure the $2 million annual investment is actually focused on reducing the invasive population in the target area.

While this program offers a clear benefit to Chesapeake watermen and the pet/animal feed industry, it’s important to remember where the money comes from: taxpayers. The $2 million authorization each year is a direct cost. Also, setting that minimum purchase price is a crucial detail. The Secretary has to balance market conditions with feedback from watermen and processors. If that floor price is set too high, it could artificially inflate the market, potentially distorting prices for other commercial fishers who aren't part of this program or who sell different species.

The Report Card and the Bigger Picture

This isn't just about selling fish; it's a data collection effort. When the pilot ends on December 31, 2029, the Secretary has 180 days to send a detailed report to Congress. This report is the ultimate scorecard, checking the blue catfish population size before and after the program, tracking how many fish were caught, and analyzing the economic impact on the watermen. Interestingly, the report also asks for policy recommendations on dealing with invasive carp in the Mississippi River watershed, which seems like a bit of a curveball, expanding the scope beyond the Chesapeake Bay.

Ultimately, the MAWS Act is an inventive approach to managing an invasive species by creating a subsidized commercial market for it, directly supporting local watermen in the process. It's a three-year experiment to see if turning a pest into a profit center for animal feed can actually help restore the Bay’s ecosystem.