Feds deny Maryland’s request for fishery disaster declaration amid blue catfish invasion

The federal government denied Maryland’s request for a “fishery resource disaster” declaration amid the continued intrusion of invasive blue catfish and northern snakeheads in the Chesapeake Bay, and declines in native fisheries such as blue crabs and striped bass. According to the federal officials, Maryland’s commercial fisheries have not experienced a sharp enough revenue decline at the hands of invasive species to warrant a disaster declaration, and the accompanying federal aid.