For the first time in more than 100 years, the predominant aquatic alpha predator of North American rivers is swimming in waters off Pittsburgh. In an ambitious conservation-recreation program expected to continue for another 20 years, Pennsylvania is attempting to reintroduce the blue catfish to its historic range through most of the Ohio River system.
Earlier this month, the state Fish and Boat Commission stocked 13,000 fingerling blue catfish in the Ohio River.
The 4- to 4 1/2 -inch juveniles were planted in waters off the Point in Pittsburgh and 13 miles downriver in Kilbuck. Another stocking is scheduled for Thursday in Ohio River waters off Leetsdale and Monaca.
According to a Fish and Boat blue catfish management plan, any fingerlings that survive another eight years are expected to grow to 65 pounds — becoming southwestern Pennsylvania's biggest, most voracious aquatic predator.
In Southern waters with longer growing seasons, blue catfish routinely top 100 pounds. The angling world record is 130 pounds. Despite their size, blue catfish pose no danger to humans.
Gary Smith, Fish and Boat southwest region fisheries manager, said the project's goal is to restore the species to its historical Pennsylvania range spanning most of the Ohio River system.
Until extirpated from regional waters due to industrial pollution, blues occupied the Ohio River from the West Virginia panhandle to Pittsburgh, the Monongahela River from Pittsburgh to the West Virginia's northern Mason-Dixon line border, and the lower Allegheny River.
Blue catfish are not native to Pennsylvania lakes. Mr. Smith said there are no plans for lake stocking.
"This is a big project for us," he said as hatchery workers filled buckets of fingerlings from a stocking truck parked beside the fountain at the Point. "It's restoring a major predator back to its historic range for the first time in generations. It's an important game species — anglers are going to love this."
Mr. Smith said the blues are expected to develop sustainable natural reproduction, and fit into the existing prey-to-predator system.
Mike Depew, the Fish and Boat biologist largely responsible for developing the restoration plan, said reintroducing an alpha predator won't impact populations of prey species or the current top predators — muskellunge, flathead catfish, channel catfish, walleye and smallmouth bass.
"They all occupy different areas of the water," he said. "Blues are open-water feeders — they want to be out in the current going after smaller fish. Flatheads are deeper, and muskies, walleye and bass all have their preferred types of water. For the most part, they won't be feeding in each other's areas."
Despite the blue's reputation as voracious feeders, said Mr. Depew, "There's plenty of prey fish here for all of them."
Upriver migration
From 2004-2016, the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources successfully stocked more than 1 million fingerlings in the Ohio River and a tributary. Pennsylvania anglers started catching blues on this side of the border in 2019.
"Now they're catching them in Pittsburgh — an 18-pounder two years ago," said Tim Reddinger, owner of Reddi Bait fishing supplies in Bridgewater.
The upriver migration of blue catfish excited the catfishing community.
"Stocking now, too? These guys are thrilled," Mr. Reddinger said. "After they hustled and worked for it, prodded the fish commission to take these blue catfish seriously.
"It will be about five years until these [stocked] fish grow, but that will give [anglers] another big predator to target."
Blue catfish are not native to rivers east of the Appalachian Mountains. Mr. Smith said the Fish and Boat Commission is trying to keep them out of the Susquehanna River and other Eastern Pennsylvania waterways.
"They'd be an invasive species there, and they'd populate very quickly," he said.
The blue catfish reintroduction program is expected to continue for years, and long term cost projections were not available.
Mike Parker, Fish and Boat communications director, said the agency operates on an annual budget of $50-$60 million collected through the sale of fishing licenses and the federal Dingell-Johnson Act, which taxes fishing gear and boat fuel and returns it to states based on fishing license sales. Mr. Parker said no general tax dollars are being used for this project.
