An Act amending the act of April 12, 1951 (P.L.90, No.21), known as the Liquor Code, in licenses and regulations and liquor, alcohol and malt and brewed beverages, further providing for authority to issue liquor licenses to hotels, restaurants and clubs, for sales by liquor licensees and restrictions, for sale of malt or brewed beverages by liquor licensees, for retail dispensers' restrictions on purchases and sales, for unlawful acts relative to malt or brewed beverages and licensees and for premises to be vacated by patrons.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Kristin Phillips-Hill and 3 co-sponsors

The bill expands tools to control blue catfish by authorizing new harvest methods (electrofishing, longer trotlines, no hook limits) and requires an MDA report on processing, marke

Referred to Law & Justice

SB 960 — Natural Resources: Blue Catfish — Population Control (Maryland)

Status & Key Dates
- Introduced: January 28, 2025 (Sen. Mautz)
- Assigned to Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee; hearing noted 3/04 at 1:00 p.m.
- Emergency bill: takes effect upon enactment.
- Mandates Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) report to General Assembly by September 1, 2025.

Purpose
- To strengthen Maryland’s regulatory tools for controlling blue catfish populations in tidal waters (Chesapeake Bay) by expanding authorized harvest methods and directing agency study of processing/marketing needs.

Main provisions
- Changes Department of Natural Resources (DNR) regulations (statutory language amending Art. — Natural Resources §4–701.2) governing commercial blue and flathead catfish trotline licenses to require that, for catching blue catfish, DNR regulations:
- Establish a pilot program authorizing the use of electrofishing;
- Authorize finfish trotlines up to 2,400 feet in length (current general trotline cap is 1,200 ft under other regs);
- Prohibit setting a limit on the number of hooks a trotline may use (for this license category);
- Authorize the use of non‑corrodible hooks.
- Retains commercial blue/flathead catfish trotline license mechanics: 1‑year term (Sept 1–Aug 31), $15 annual fee, nontransferable, must be carried while fishing.
- MDA reporting requirement (due 9/1/2025): identify needs and best practices for (1) collecting and processing harvested blue catfish, (2) marketing blue catfish to private and government buyers, and (3) financing those efforts.

Who/what is affected
- Commercial harvesters/boat operators (especially those under the blue/flathead trotline license);
- Fish processors, wholesalers, and seafood markets (potentially expanded supply);
- DNR (responsible for adopting and implementing regulations and pilot program);
- MDA (required to study and report on processing/marketing/financing needs);
- Chesapeake Bay ecosystem and fisheries management (intended population control of an abundant/non‑native species).

Fiscal and practical impacts
- Department of Legislative Services fiscal note: no revenue effect; $10,000 special fund increase in FY2026 (to hire a consultant for MDA’s report).
- Small businesses: potential meaningful benefit from increased harvest/market opportunities; but participating harvesters may face material upfront equipment costs to use electrofishing (DNR estimate: potentially > $15,000 per harvester).
- DNR expects to implement required regulation changes and the pilot program with existing resources; federal grant activity for related monitoring may overlap.

Other notes
- The bill is an emergency measure to allow immediate regulatory changes and fast follow‑up by MDA (report due within months).
- The pilot program and report are intended to inform whether expanded gear/methods and market supports can sustainably increase blue catfish removal and commercial value.