The purpose of the Blue Catfish symposium is to provide an updated synthesis on what we currently know about the distribution, movement, biology, and life history of this species in differing environments in its native and non-native range.  Blue catfish Ictalurus furcatus are a large catfish species native to the Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio drainages with populations extending into Mexico and Central America. Blue catfish have been widely introduced outside of their native range and are now found in 29 states, including states from both the Atlantic and Pacific slopes. Until recently, few studies on the life history, biology, and management of this species could be found within the scientific literature, yet growing participation in trophy catfish angling has gained the attention of fisheries managers in some areas, while the expansion of introduced populations has resulted in concern in other areas. The number of empirical studies relating to blue catfish life history and biology are increasing, yet the value of each study is limited due to the numerous system-specific differences of this widely distributed species. Further, we hope to compare and contrast both native and introduced populations to provide a more holistic understanding of the environmental factors, both biotic and abiotic, that influence the success of this species.