Northern Snakeheads found in Maryland/Virginia waters

[Fat Boy]

Here's the story:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25323-2004May13.html

About a week or two ago, an angler caught a snakehead in a small lake in Maryland, Pine Lake.  They drained it and only found one of them.  If you recall, last year or the year before, the same thing happened in PG county Maryland, only a few of them were found, and all sorts of fears were raised about these fish nation wide.  Why?  These fish can crawl out on land and spread to other bodies of water.  And, on top of that, they are voracious and top of the food chain predators, and could possibly decimate local species.

In both of the incidents above, things seemed like they were OK and nobody had anything to worry about.  Bad news folks, things have taken a turn for the worse.  An angler caught one a few days ago in a tidal tributary of the Potomac River along the Virginia shore.  OK, one fish, no big deal, need 2 to breed right?  Unknown how many are in there though.  Guess what, an angler caught another one on the Maryland shore near the boat ramp at Marshall Hall.  Uh oh.  We have a possible infestation now.  Well, problem is you can't reclaim the river!

Maryland has some pretty cold temps during the river, often the entire tidal river and Chesapeake bay freezes over.  The Northern snakehead is a chinese fish.  There are other species that are popular in the aquarium trade.  Tropical, eh?  Guess what, they are hardy and can survive in extreme temperatures.  They have a mouth like a bass but toothy, they get bigger than bass, and eat anything that they can swallow.

How did they get there?  Possibly they were pets and outgrew their tank.  The Northern snakehead, and a few other species, are popular in Asia as food fish, a delicacy.  Maybe people are stocking them on purpose because they miss catching them in their homeland, or can't raise enough of them in their aquariums to feed their families on a regular basis?  What a better place than to plant them in your local body of water, a big aquarium or nursery, if you will?

In the past, the Potomac River has seen it's share of exotic species caught by anglers including Pacu, Black and Red Piranha, and alligators.  All of these species can live out most of the year in that river until that river becomes cold enough to freeze.  Not a problem.  Snakeheads are a real problem.

As an angler, I'm outraged.  As a citizen, I'm outraged.  Either way, it's unacceptable.  Anyone now agree with the lack of enforcement in our immigration policy?  Throw in the threat of terrorism and... Sorry, won't go there any more... 

[treed942000]

FB,

I'll have to agree with you.  It is so dishearting to think that someone would place these nasty fish in our beautiful waters.  Have you heard what there plans are for getting rid of them?  I heard on the radio that a female had eggs.  This is a very bad sign.  How would they ever be able to catch them, the Potomac feeds a lot of bodies of water.

TReed

[Fat Boy]

Here's another good link.  Take a look at the slide show.

http://www.nbc4.com/news/3304113/detail.html

Correction:  the first one caught in MD was in Crofton which I think is in Anne Arundel County, not PG County.  The one caught in Pine Lake was 19" long...

[Fat Boy]

Also, the pond in Crofton had over 120 snakeheads, all dead now.  But, the question remains as to how many escaped.

[Fat Boy]

Jeez, also one was found in the Inner Harbor of Baltimore, 22" long...

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/dnrnews/pressrelease2002/091002.html

[wyogator]

I agree Fatboy. This is getting out of hand. Although, I don't think it is an immigration issue as much as an importation issue and careless pet owners releasing these in lakes when they outgrow their tanks. In FL, it is really bad, because it doesn't get cold enough to kill them in winter. I have seen Plecos in lakes about three or four feet long, Parrots in trees and we found a Monitor lizard in my parents backyard. Thank God we don't have this problem in Wyoming yet, that I am aware of. Hopefully they can get rid of them.

[Fat Boy]

Snakehead fact sheet:

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/snakeheadfactsheetedited.pdf

[JigAwhopper]

That makes me SICK!  People have no common sense anymore it seems.  It's not different as when people get a dog and leave it on the side of the road after nine months, 'cause it got too big. Same mentality,  same stupid pet owners.  I think that owning, transporting, selling and importing of non indigenous wildlife species should be prohibited and enforced with prison sentences.  But how are we supposed to do that if in face of terrorism  we can not even secure our borders.  Unfortunatly we may not depend on the spineless politicians to do that on their own.  We as sportsman need to apply pressure to make 'em do their job.     Until the time whn we shake off the voter apathy and orginize,  i guess we're stuck with jumping carp, pirania and sneakeheads in our waters.   I wander what they taste like smoked anyway???  HHMMM                                                             J.

[Fat Boy]

You're right Wyogator.  It's an illegal importation issue.

By the way, to prevent anyone from taking my post above in a way that I didn't intend, I have nothing against immigration.  I was referring to illegal immigration.  The thought that entered my mind when I wrote this was that if we can't control our borders and keep illegal immigrants out, how can we possibly expect to keep fish out?

[JigAwhopper]

Ditto  FatBoy,  that's exactly my point as well.  Don't want some things to be taken out of context about the border issue!

[Fat Boy]

[icefishnh]

is that what they look like??

[TroutFishingBear]

These are the things that the US Fish and Wildlife need to focus on taking out of rivers, not taking out catfish and pike!

[fastribs85]

well guys i dont know what we can do to stop these things but we as sportsman need to start patrolling our own areas more closely becasue obviousley our government cant do it ther to busy doing other stupid things but please guys if you do see one or catch one [b]KILL IT[/b][/u]

[Fishingking]

d**n people i hate this kind of stuff argh wish there was an easy way to kill them all like lamprey pestacide  we need snakeacides  the snakehead kinda looks like a bowfin or a burbot (ling)