On behalf of myself and the North American Invasive Species Management Association (NAISMA), I urge you to support H.R. 4294, the Mitigation Action and Watermen Support (MAWS) Act of 2025, to address the urgent challenges facing our coastal communities, fisheries, and ecosystems.

One of the most pressing threats to the health of our waterways—and to the livelihoods of watermen—is the unchecked spread of invasive species, including blue catfish. Originally introduced for sportfishing, blue catfish have exploded in number throughout the Chesapeake Bay and other Atlantic estuaries, severely disrupting native fish populations such as blue crab, menhaden, and striped bass.

This growing ecological imbalance is more than a conservation issue—it’s an economic crisis. Commercial watermen and fishing families are seeing firsthand the damage invasive species inflict on their harvests and their way of life. The MAWS Act of 2025 provides a proactive framework to respond to these challenges by creating a targeted mitigation program to manage and reduce invasive species like blue catfish, providing a pilot research and monitoring program to develop additional effective strategies for invasive species control, and investing in local fishing economies.

By passing the MAWS Act, Congress can take a bold step in protecting both our natural resources and the hardworking individuals who depend on them. I urge you to stand with coastal communities, commercial fisheries, and environmental stewards by supporting this critical legislation.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Regulate the blue catfish population