Fishing to Eat and to Share on the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers

On any day with good weather, fishing poles and folding chairs line the banks of the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers around Washington, D.C. Some people fish just for fun. Others practice subsistence fishing — fishing mainly to eat or share what they catch. A National Park Service report, Ethnographic Resource Study: Subsistence Fishing on the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers, set out to learn more about them.

Sunset fishing at Hains Point (NPS photo / S. J. Fiske).

How the study worked

Researchers used formal and informal methods to document who was fishing, what they caught and how many kept and ate their catch, and interviewed anglers about why they fish and why they keep their fish. They most often met anglers at Hains Point, Fletcher's Cove, Piscataway, Jones Point, the C&O Canal, Little Hunting Creek in Virginia and Fort Washington Lighthouse on the Maryland side.

Where the study's interviews took place (NPS).

A note on safety: Washington, D.C., Virginia and Maryland all have fish consumption advisories for these rivers. The study found that although the waters are known to be contaminated, anglers still come — some driving a long way — and eat what they catch despite the advisories.

Who fishes, and what they catch

The anglers were diverse, showing that people of color are well represented in these parks. Most of those interviewed identified as African American, followed by Anglo, Hispanic, Asian or Pacific Islander, and "Other" (mostly Native American). Blue catfish was by far the most harvested species; channel catfish was the least.

Ethnicities of anglers interviewed, and the share of anglers who harvest each fish species (NPS).

Why they fish

People sometimes assume most of these anglers are low-income and fish because they need food. But most said their main reasons were enjoying the parks, being outdoors, the relaxation of fishing and the company of family and fellow anglers. One man at Hains Point told how a stranger fishing beside him, seeing his bare line, set him up with a hook and sinker — and the two of them, with the children, had been laughing together ever since.

Catching catfish in East Potomac Park (NPS photo).

Sharing the catch

Still, about 40% of the anglers experienced some form of food insecurity. The study wasn't designed to measure hunger, but researchers found that widespread sharing of blue catfish may provide a significant buffer against it in the D.C. area:

• 93% of anglers who harvest blue catfish share at least part of their catch;
• blue catfish is shared most broadly — with family, friends, acquaintances and even strangers.

An angler at Jones Point explained that most of the time he doesn't know the people he gives fish to: anyone who asks whether he's throwing a fish back can have it.

Rain or shine at Piscataway Park (NPS photo / Terry Adams).

What fishing means

Whether for sport or food, these parks are intensively fished. Subsistence anglers are the most consistent users of park shorelines, in summer and winter alike. For most anglers, being able to fish matters a great deal: it gives a sense of self-reliance in providing for themselves, their families or neighbors in need, and of self-respect from sharing their catch so widely.

Want to try it?

Fishing in D.C. requires a fishing license, with different prices for residents and nonresidents. During National Fishing and Boating Week each June, some states waive license requirements for a time to encourage newcomers — check their free fishing days first. National parks welcome anglers year-round; check each park's website for its fishing rules.

Sources

• National Park Service: "Subsistence Fishing on the Potomac and Anacostia," summarizing Fiske S, Callaway D, Cohen A, Walker L, Lopez N. Ethnographic Resource Study: Subsistence Fishing on the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers (2020). Anglers' remarks are paraphrased here.
• Words on this page from people and organisations outside the federal government are paraphrased; rewritten in hubnx's own words.