Preston Elementary School on Maryland’s Eastern Shore has incorporated blue catfish sandwiches into its lunch program as part of a broader effort to manage an invasive species damaging the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem. The sandwiches, nicknamed “catty patties,” are served alongside traditional options like pizza and have gained popularity among students who describe the white, flaky fish as tasty and comparable to crab.
The blue catfish, native to the Midwest, was intentionally introduced to Virginia rivers in the 1970s for recreational fishing. State officials believed the fish would remain in freshwater portions of rivers, contained by the bay’s brackish water. However, the species proved more adaptable than anticipated and has since spread throughout every tidal tributary of Maryland and the Chesapeake Bay proper. In some areas, blue catfish now comprise approximately 70 percent of total fish biomass.
The invasive species poses significant threats to the region’s seafood industry and ecosystem. Blue catfish are voracious predators that consume native species including blue crabs, rockfish, and young fish, while also eating forage species like menhaden. This predation has raised concerns about the viability of traditional fisheries and the economic impact on Maryland’s iconic crab industry.
Beth Brewster, supervisor of food services for Caroline County Public Schools, developed the catfish cake recipe with her culinary team and obtained USDA approval, allowing the product to be served in schools nationwide. The initiative began approximately eight years ago when state agricultural officials approached Brewster about using the invasive species as a food source. The effort accelerated after connecting with Bay2Tray, a California-based program linking seafood to schools, and the recipe is now served in multiple school districts across both Maryland and Virginia.
The strategy represents one of several state efforts to harness human consumption as a tool for controlling invasive species, joining similar initiatives targeting Asian carp in Kentucky and Illinois and green crabs in Maine and Washington state.
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