The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is planning to hand out $6 million in grants for seafood processors, to boost the country's food supply chain by increasing processing capacity of invasive, wild-caught catfish. 

In an August 6 release, the USDA detailed how the grants will help U.S. fisheries build and modernize processing facilities and equipment, adopt new technologies and train workers, all to manage the population of blue catfish in the Chesapeake Bay. The USDA is also launching a pilot program to purchase up to $2 million worth of blue catfish, which will be funneled through regional processors and then provided to food banks and other distributors for wider consumption.

Blue catfish — which were introduced to the Chesapeake in the 1970s for recreational fishing — are highly-adaptable apex predators, and can disrupt local ecosystems by consuming native species and overrunning populations of other predators. Blue catfish and their byproducts are sold in a variety of forms, including fillets, nuggets, fishcakes, animal feed, fish oil, pet food and fake leather. Whole catfish sold in grocery stores are also typically much more affordable compared to other seafood thanks to widespread efforts to control invasive populations.