Chicago River gets 30,000 new catfish

CHICAGO, June 11 (UPI) -- The now cleaner Chicago River has some new inhabitants -- 30,000 catfish. The native bottom-feeders are being released into the river as part of a broader cleanup and restoration project.

On Tuesday, the fish were released into the waters at various spots along the banks of the Chicago and Little Calumet rivers, which flow out of Lake Michigan. The release, which cost $300,000, was sponsored by a partnership between the Friends of the Chicago River and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

"This is exciting because the Chicago River is evolving into a place where these fish can thrive," said Margaret Frisbie, the executive director of Friends of the Chicago River.

"Not very many years ago, the water was a lot less clean," Frisbie explained. "This project is symbolic of how far the Chicago River has evolved. We can release catfish and know that they will thrive."

As part of the project, in the coming weeks, wildlife officials will place nesting cavities at the bottom of the rivers. The cavities look like faux wood logs, and serve as place for the catfish to spawn and lay their eggs.

Although the release is a sign that the Chicago River system is getting cleaner, officials wouldn't recommend eating any of the new catfish for dinner just yet. Current warnings advise against eating fish from the river due to chlordane and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination.