Invasive Catfish, West Coast Oyster Shells Fueling Chesapeake Renaissance
February 10, 2025 by Dennis Forney
“At Tilghman Island Seafood, we collaborate closely with watermen who are dedicated to the Chesapeake Bay’s unique ecosystem. These local watermen recognize that their livelihoods are deeply connected to the health of our waters. We are committed to balancing productive fishing with responsible practices to help secure the Bay’s future.” – FromTilghman Island Seafood’s promotional marketing material
Rumplestiltskin perfected a method for spinning straw into gold. A pretty neat trick.
Now some latter-day local Rumplestiltskins– swapping American ingenuity for the spinning wheel–are doing something similar except with invasive catfish and oyster shells instead of straw.
Blue catfish ravaging Chesapeake Bay’s crabbing and finfish industries, and millions of tons of discarded and aging oyster shells on Washington’s Pacific coast are proving profitable for enterprising watermen. Ecological benefits are also part of this unique equation.
