# Maryland HB 0446: Natural Resources - Invasive Blue Catfish Pilot Program

Maryland HB 0446, Natural Resources - Invasive Blue Catfish Pilot Program, is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Todd B. Morgan (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-04-22 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 172) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0446-2025RS
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Maryland HB 0446
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: Natural Resources - Invasive Blue Catfish Pilot Program
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-01-16
- Last action: 2025-04-22, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 172
- Sponsor: Todd B. Morgan (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 14
- Subjects: Hunting and Fishing, Boundaries, Chesapeake Bay -see also- Chesapeake Bay Restoration, Commerce and Business -see also- ElectrComm; ForeignTr; etc., Committees and Commissions, Emergency Bills, Fish and Fishing -see also- Aquaculture; FishNets&Dev, Fishing Nets and Devices, Invasive Species -see also- Animals; Insects; Plants, Licenses -see also- AB Lic; Certifications; DrLic; Permits, Natural Resources -see also- Coal; For&Pks; Rivers; etc., Natural Resources, Department of, Pilot Programs, Reports, Rules and Regulations, Sunset
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 2 (182 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Maryland launches invasive blue catfish control: benefit, low. Beginning April 22, 2025, Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources runs a pilot to curb invasive blue catfish in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. It works with the Invasive Catfish Advisory Committee on commercial fishing, trotline fishing, and other programs it finds effective. The depart…
- More catfish fishing options with limits: mixed, low. From April 22, 2025, through June 30, 2026, Maryland may let eligible pilot participants run for-hire and commercial fishing trips at the same time. The Department of Natural Resources may also change rules or procedures to increase commercial blue catfish harvest. It must allow finfish trotlines f…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Todd B. Morgan (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Jackie Addison (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Barry Beauchamp (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Dylan Behler (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Regina T. Boyce (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Barrie S. Ciliberti (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Debra Davis (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Linda Foley (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Wayne A. Hartman (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Thomas S. Hutchinson (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Jeffrie E. Long (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Jay A. Jacobs (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Otto
- Cosponsor: Sheila Ruth (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Natalie Ziegler (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-03 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 47 | 0 |   |
| 2025-03-06 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 135 | 0 | 4 |

## Actions (12)

- 2025-04-22: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 172
- 2025-04-04: Returned Passed (House)
- 2025-04-03: Third Reading Passed (47-0) (Senate)
- 2025-04-02: Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed (Senate)
- 2025-03-31: Favorable Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment (Senate)
- 2025-03-07: Referred Education, Energy, and the Environment (Senate)
- 2025-03-06: Third Reading Passed (135-0) (House)
- 2025-03-04: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (House)
- 2025-03-04: Favorable with Amendments {523823/1 Adopted (House)
- 2025-03-03: Favorable with Amendments Report by Environment and Transportation (House)
- 2025-01-20: Hearing 2/12 at 1:00 p.m. (House)
- 2025-01-16: First Reading Environment and Transportation (House)

## Bill text

- Enacted, 2025-04-22: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/Chapters_noln/CH_172_hb0446t.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2025-03-04: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/hb/hb0446t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2025-01-16: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/hb/hb0446f.pdf)

## Related bills

- SB 0227: Workers' Compensation - Payment From Uninsured Employers' Fund - Revisions (vetoed)
- HB 0482: Occupational Licensing and Certification - Criminal History - Predetermination Review Process (vetoed)
- HB 0384: Maryland Disability Service Animal Program - Established (vetoed)
- SB 0157: Maryland Disability Service Animal Program - Established (vetoed)
- HB 1294: Commercial Law - Credit Regulation - Earned Wage Access and Credit Modernization (became law)
- HB 0228: Maryland Veterans Trust – Assistance to Members of the Maryland National Guard (signed)

## Sources
- [Enacted (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/Chapters_noln/CH_172_hb0446t.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/hb/hb0446t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/hb/hb0446f.pdf)

## Related
- [SB 0227: Workers' Compensation - Payment From Uninsured Employers' Fund - Revisions](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0227-2025RS)
- [HB 0482: Occupational Licensing and Certification - Criminal History - Predetermination…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0482-2025RS)
- [HB 0384: Maryland Disability Service Animal Program - Established](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0384-2025RS)
- [SB 0157: Maryland Disability Service Animal Program - Established](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0157-2025RS)
- [HB 1294: Commercial Law - Credit Regulation - Earned Wage Access and Credit Modernization](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB1294-2025RS)
- [HB 0228: Maryland Veterans Trust – Assistance to Members of the Maryland National Guard](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0228-2025RS)
- [Maryland bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland/bills)
- [Maryland state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0446-2025RS (as of 2026-10-17).