It seems as if most everyone knows that the issues of the Bay are far more complex than just one invasive species. In an article Schmitt published in Fisheries Research, Schmitt says, perhaps “the remarkable abundance of blue catfish in the Chesapeake Bay is an indicator of major underlying issues with ecosystem health.”

The blue catfish may be taking the heat for issues caused by people; or possibly even other problematic species, like the flathead catfish, a close relative of the blues, but one that has gotten little attention. Shown to be true apex, piscivorous predators, the flathead have been causing problems beneath the radar, but Schmitt is trying to change the narrative. “Everybody is so focused on blue catfish that I feel like they are missing the point. Until we address flathead catfish, they're going to continue to be a problem,” he says.