Blue catfish across North Carolina

“Blue Catfish, like Flathead Catfish, are native to the Mississippi River Basin. They have been introduced to many river basins that flow to the Atlantic Ocean, such as the Cape Fear and Catawba rivers in North Carolina. They are most common in large rivers, where they often favor faster currents than other catfish. Blue Catfish commonly reach 36 inches and 20 pounds. The Blue Catfish has a deeply forked tail and typically has a bluish-gray body above, fading to white on its sides and belly. The anal fin is the most prominent feature of a Blue Catfish and has a straight outer edge (sometimes referred to as a “barber’s razor”) with 30–36 fin rays. Similar species: Channel Catfish have a rounded anal fin with fewer (24–29) fin rays.”

“Blue Catfish are piscivorous when large and consume native fishes. Problems could arise due to competition with resident and migratory fish species. Blue Catfish also displace native catfishes when habitat preferences overlap. Based on these negative interactions with native species, they are considered invasive in North Carolina.”