Invasive blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) have become an increasingly prominent species in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, raising important ecological and management questions for resource professionals across the region. Join Branson Williams from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources for an update on how the state is working to better understand the scale of this invasion and inform management decisions. This webinar will provide an overview of current monitoring and research efforts, including the use of electrofishing to assess blue catfish populations and improve estimates of abundance in key waterways. Our presenter will share insights into how improved data collection and collaborative efforts are helping guide management actions in a large and complex estuarine system. This session will be particularly valuable for invasive species managers, fisheries professionals, and others interested in how science based monitoring tools can support informed decision making in aquatic invasive species management.

Branson Williams, Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Branson Williams is the Invasive Fishes Program Manager within the Freshwater Fisheries and Hatcheries Division at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. He has worked for the department as a Natural Resources Biologist since 2010 and has served in his current role since 2023, where he leads efforts to better understand and manage invasive fish species across Maryland’s waterways. Branson holds a Master of Science in Fisheries Science from William & Mary and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from University of Maryland Eastern Shore. He has co-authored multiple research publications focused on blue catfish movement and population dynamics, and his work emphasizes data driven research to inform effective fisheries management strategies for both native and invasive species.