Month: August 2025

The Middlesex County Economic Development Authority was recently awarded $99,840.00 in Growth and Opportunity (GO Virginia) Funds in Region 6 for the “River to Table – Blue Catfish Study.” The grant funding will be used to conduct a study to provide an initial summary of the state of the Blue Catfish industry. This includes harvesters, processors, and wholesale/retail sale in the Middle Peninsula and Northern Neck regions. The study will outline options, establish priorities, and estimate probable costs for implementing findings and recommendations to promote, support, and expand businesses associated with Blue Catfish. The final study will identify actionable strategies that can then be used to apply for implementation funding.

“The GO Virginia Region 6 Council recognizes our unique position to address the overpopulation of Blue Catfish in our waterways, and exploring the economic benefits that Blue Catfish could bring to the Northern Neck, Middle Peninsula, and other regions of the Commonwealth,” stated John Anzivino, Chair of the Region 6 Council. “We also recognize the imperative need to partner with other regional and statewide stakeholders to create a coordinated action plan to promote an economy around Blue Catfish. Brining the current population of Blue Catfish under control is also key to protecting our existing commercial fishing and aquaculture industries.”

Blue Catfish is an invasive species to the Chesapeake Bay and the bay’s estuary system, including the Rappahannock, Potomac, and James Rivers. The species was introduced into Virginia Rivers in the 1970’s for the purpose of sportfishing. The population has since grown exponentially with no natural predators and is affecting populations of blue crabs, striped bass, and other native species that have economic and historical significance. Blue Catfish typically grows less than two feet long but can grow as large as 5.5 feet and weigh 100 lbs with a lifespan of 20 to 25 years. The fish is considered to be delicious and has nutritional value, as highlighted by Virginia Seafood.

There have been several efforts by the Commonwealth to address the Blue Catfish crisis, including a workgroup run by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) and an Agriculture & Forestry Industries Development Fund (AFID) grant which had previously been awarded to Sea Farms in Gloucester, VA. The Middlesex EDA will engage both the VDACS workgroup as well as representatives from the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP), Virginia Tech, the Rivers Region Entrepreneurship Council, and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science.

Match for the grant in the amount of $62,590.00 is being provided from the Economic Development Authority (EDA) in Middlesex, Essex, Gloucester, King George, Lancaster, and Mathews County who will all be represented on the grant advisory committee.

REEDVILLE – Omega Protein recently presented a check for $250,000 to the Greater Reedville Association toward the restoration of Festival Halle, a cherished landmark on Main Street in the village.

            “With deep roots in Reedville’s maritime heritage dating back to 1878, we are honored to support an organization whose mission is to preserve and share the rich history of our community,”  according to Nick Sterrett, vice president of sales for Omega Protein. “We are grateful to be part of an organization like Cooke Seafood, who makes it their mission to strengthen the communities in which they operate.”

            The building now called Festival Halle served as Reedville High School from1927, then later as a primary school. The building was donated to the association in 2009 by the Birkel family.

            The building is undergoing an extensive renovation, with completion scheduled for early 2026.

            Omega Protein’s donation will serve as a partial match for the $280,800 GO Virginia grant recently awarded to the association. GO Virginia is a state-funded initiative, administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, that strengthens and diversifies Virginia’s economy and fosters the creation of higher wage jobs in strategic industries.

            The grant will help establish an aquaculture and maritime innovation incubator program that will be headquartered in Festival Halle. The total budget for the incubator project is $524,385.

            “Corporate, community and local government donations have made it possible to acquire the necessary grant funding to undertake such a large project,” said Shauna McCranie, executive director of the Reedville Fishermen’s Museum, which also is under the umbrella of the Greater Reedville Association.

            A key part of the project will be to install a fully equipped and certified commercial kitchen, so local watermen and food entrepreneurs can process and package seafood for regional markets, according to Bruce Samuelsen, treasurer of the association.

            The project includes workforce training and education (food safety, business finance, marketing and human resources) and supporting entrepreneurs through outside partnerships.

            The goal is to create at least 80 jobs in five years, with $1 million annual economic impact; enable direct-to-market seafood sales, boosting revenue for local watermen; and provide training to support long-term economic development in the region.

            Participating localities include Northumberland County and Lancaster County, but the project is open to watermen across the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula, according to Sarah Oldaker, GO Virginia’s Region 6 Program Director.

            “The Region 6 Council is proud to support a unique project that focuses on the shellfish growers, commercial fishermen and agricultural producers in the region. These industries have historical and cultural significance and provide important economic impacts for area localities and the Commonwealth. The vision for this project serves as a catalyst for a larger scale-up effort in these industries in both the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula. Supporting these industries and expanding their markets outside of Virginia is a key piece of our growth and diversification plan for Region 6,” said John Anzivino, chair of the GO Virginia Region 6 Council.           

            “The Greater Reedville Association is excited to provide watermen with the ability to grow and market their businesses locally,” said McCranie. “We look forward to partnering with the local watermen community to have a space where they can package their seafood, learn valuable business skills and develop relationships with other leaders in the industry.”