Name: Isabella Carmen Molatore

Date: 04/15/2025

Time (EST/EDT): 1:00 pm

Location: UMBC, Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Building, room 206

Remote Access: email: mees@umd.edu

Committee Chair: Dr. Tamra Mendelson

Committee Members: Dr. Katrina Lohan, Dr. Eric Schott

Title: Investigating the Effects of the Reel Rewards Program on the Ecosystems  & Communities of the Middle Branch

Abstract: My research examines the Reel Rewards Program, an invasive fish removal initiative in Baltimore’s Middle Branch. Designed to reduce invasive Blue Catfish (Ictalurus furcatus), Flathead Catfish (Pylodictis Olivares), and Northern Snakehead (Channa argus) and reward recreational anglers, the program also gauges community impact. South Baltimore faces multiple types of environmental injustice and degradation, and this program is part of the Middle Branch Resiliency Initiative, a broader equitable urban wetland restoration project. Methods included environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling and angler interviews to detect invasive species, assess fish community composition, and document community perceptions of environmental change. eDNA samples were collected in spring and summer using metabarcoding of the Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene to estimate seasonal fish diversity and relative abundance. Interviews with paid summer anglers helped identify recreational fish species and community perception of environmental change in the Middle Branch. While no invasive species were detected using eDNA, anglers removed 256 Northern Snakeheads and 37 Blue Catfish, with almost $9,000 paid to anglers for their catch. The research establishes a baseline for future assessments of the program’s effectiveness. eDNA metabarcoding proved useful for measuring species richness and relative abundance, with moderate fish species detection. Anglers reported improved water quality overall, though sewage, litter, and industrial runoff remain concerns of the community.