This site is also protected by an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate that’s been signed by the U.S. government. Provides detailed collection information as well as animated map. A northern snakehead was recently caught in the Callicoon area of the Delaware River. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos today encouraged anglers in the Delaware River to be on the lookout for northern snakehead, an invasive fish native to Southeast Asia. Information that you provide is important in determining control and management strategies.

The action was successful, and two adults and over 100 juvenile fish were found and destroyed.

In the event an angler catches a northern snakehead, DEC advises anglers to report the catch to the regional NYS DEC fisheries office, DEC's Invasive Species Bureau at isinfo@dec.ny.gov or (518) 402-9425, or submit a report through iMapinvasives. The northern snakehead has been found in three counties of Florida, and may already be established there. The section below contains highly relevant resources for this species, organized by source. [20] Virginia has criminalized the "introduc[tion]" of snakeheads into the state without specific authorization, although the relevant statute does not explain whether mere importation is sufficient to constitute "introduc[tion] into the Commonwealth" or whether instead release into the environment is required.

Call toll-free in *Maryland* at 1-877-620-8DNR (8367). This advisory follows the documented movement of 21 Northern Snakeheads past the Conowingo Dam into the Conowingo Pool, a 14-mile-long section of the Susquehanna River located between the Conowingo Dam in Maryland and the Holtwood Dam in Pennsylvania. The treatment plan was operated under several agents, and New York State Police were placed on stand-by in case of protests of local residents of the area.[1]. [1] This method of containment killed all fish present in the water body to prevent the spread of the highly invasive snakehead. After the poisoning, the NYSDEC had to identify, measure, and additionally process the fish to adhere with Bureau of Fisheries procedures before disposal. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. [17] Before its exact identity was revealed, the province introduced legislation banning the possession of snakeheads and several other potentially invasive species. Google.

The fish first appeared in U.S. news when an alert fisherman discovered one in a Crofton, Maryland, pond in the summer of 2002. [8], The northern snakehead can double its population in as few as 15 months. A new concern is that this fish's spreading is getting close to the Great Lakes, which it may enter and disrupt that ecosystem. Given the right environmental conditions, this invasive species can prey on and compete with other fish, upsetting the natural balance of local ecosystems. New York Department of Environmental Conservation. It can reach over 33 inches in length and tolerate a wide range of temperatures (32-85°F). According to the International Game Fish Association, Caleb Newton, a Spotsylvania County, Virginia, resident, caught a world-record 17 lb 6 oz (7.9 kg) northern snakehead at the junction of Aquia Creek and the Potomac River, United States, on June 1, 2013. [3] In the United States, the fish is considered to be a highly invasive species. ", "Invasive Snakehead Fish Caught in Gwinnett County", Mechanicsville Man Catches Record Snakehead in Charles County, United States National Agricultural Library, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Northern_snakehead&oldid=964158405, Articles with Chinese-language sources (zh), Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 23 June 2020, at 22:20. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources' Wildlife Resources Division confirmed someone found a northern snakehead in early October in a pond on private property in Gwinnett County, marking the first time the invasive fish has been found in the state. [2] In Europe, the first report of the species was from Czechoslovakia in 1956. Anglers who suspect they have caught a snakehead are encouraged to NOT release it, and report it to the PFBC at (610) 847-2442 or by sending an email to tgrabowski@pa.gov. Issg Database: Ecology of Channa Argus.

Apparently unestablished specimens have been found in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, New York City, two ponds in Philadelphia,[12] a pond in Massachusetts, and reservoirs in California and North Carolina. YouTube; Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

The chemical breaks down rapidly, and has a half-life in water of 1–3 days. Fishermen who find a northern snakehead should take pictures, note where it was caught and then report it. [15][16], In 2012, a snakehead was found in a pond in Burnaby, British Columbia, but further study revealed that it had been released three months or less before its capture and it was a blotched snakehead or perhaps a hybrid involving that species. [2] It has been introduced to other regions, where it is considered invasive.

It is generally reported to reach a length up to 100 cm (3 ft 3 in),[1][2] but specimens approaching 150 cm (4 ft 11 in) are known according to Russian ichthyologists. The northern snakehead is a predatory fish native to southern and eastern Asia that is now found in several American states. A northern snakehead was recently caught in the Callicoon area of the Delaware River.

Fisheries Service. [11]The snakehead fish was considered to be a threat to the Chesapeake Bay watershed, and wary officials took action by draining the pond in an attempt to destroy the species. U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1251; Researched and funded by the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. This important information helped motivate local, state, and federal officials in Arkansas to pursue aggressive efforts to eradicate northern snakeheads from irrigation ditches and prevent spread into the Mississippi River watershed. "Northern snakeheads are listed federally as injurious wildlife, and New York State law prohibits their live possession," Commissioner Seggos said. Columbia University. 2007, Mendoza-Alfaro et al. [6], They are respected among some Chinese fishermen for their virtue, as parent snakefish are known to sacrifice themselves to protect their young. "Issg Database: Ecology of Channa Argus." The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) is urging anglers to report and dispose of any invasive Northern Snakehead fish that may be caught in the lower Susquehanna River. Northeast Aquatic Nuisance Species Panel. Due to its economic value, C. argus has been introduced (intentionally or not) to several areas in the continental United States. Any of these invasive fish that are caught should be killed and disposed of properly or consumed. Marine Invasions Research Lab. [12] Tests found they are not related to northern snakeheads found in other waters in the region, alleviating some concern of their overland migration. The young fish are said to rush to feed upon their mother after she gives birth and is temporarily unable to catch prey.[25]. Given the right environmental conditions, this invasive species can prey on and compete with other fish, upsetting the natural balance of local ecosystems. In the summer of 2008, an infestation of the northern snakehead was confirmed in Ridgebury Lake and Catlin Creek near Ridgebury, New York. Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Northern snakehead prefer warm slack water for summer spawning and flows and colder temperatures may serve as a natural barrier against expansion. National Invasive Species Information Center, Anglers Urged To Report, Dispose Of Invasive Northern Snakeheads If Caught In Lower Susquehanna River (May 22, 2020), Invasive Snakehead Fish Caught in Gwinnett County (Georiga) (Oct 8, 2019), Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database: Point Map - Northern Snakehead, Injurious Wildlife: A Summary of the Injurious Provisions of the Lacey Act (Dec 2017; PDF | 401 KB), Species of Concern Fact Sheet: Northern Snakehead, NEANS Panel Online Guide - Northern Snakehead, New York Invasive Species Information - Northern Snakehead Fish, Snakeheads (Pisces, Channidae) - A Biological Synopsis and Risk Assessment (Sep 2004), Recognizing Northern Snakehead (Sep 2003) (PDF | 336 KB), National Exotic Marine and Estuarine Species Information System (NEMESIS): Chesapeake Bay Introduced Species Database -, Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database: Fact Sheet - Northern Snakehead, Aquatic Invasive Species: Snakehead (Mar 2005) (PDF | 201 KB), Nuisance & Invasive Species - Northern Snakehead Fish (, Introduced Species Summary Project - Northern Snakehead, Invasive Species Guide - Northern Snakehead, National Invasive Species Awareness Week: Northern Snakehead Fish. The northern snakehead (Channa argus) is a native of the Yangtze River basin in China. What can you do?

26 Mar. The northern snakehead (Channa argus) is a native of the Yangtze River basin in China. [1], The northern snakehead is a freshwater species and cannot tolerate salinity in excess of 10 parts per million. [5] On May 20, 2016, Emory "Dutch" Baldwin of Indian Head, Maryland boated an 18.42 lb (8.36 kg) northern snakehead in tidal marshes of the Potomac using archery tackle. This fish is listed as the state sport record in Maryland by the Department of Natural Resources. In a well-known incident, several were found in a pond in Crofton, Maryland, in June 2002, which led to major media coverage and three movies. When the snakehead was found in Crofton, the piscicide rotenone was added to the three adjacent ponds. Eggs hatch after about 1–2 days, but they can take much longer at lower temperatures. Center for Environmental Research and Conservation. Before sharing sensitive information online, make sure you’re on a .gov or .mil site by inspecting your browser’s address (or “location”) bar. The northern snakehead (Channa argus) is a species of snakehead fish native to China, Russia, North Korea, and South Korea, ranging from the Amur River to Hainan. (2019).

Provides distribution maps and collection information (State and County). For more information on Northern Snakeheads in Pennsylvania, including an identification guide, visit the PFBC snakehead resource page. Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

First established population discovered in Maryland in 2002 (, Preys on and competes with native species (. [24], On May 20, 2014, Luis Aragon of Triangle, Virginia, caught a 17 lb 12 oz (8.05 kg) northern snakehead, which was officially listed as the biggest ever caught on rod and reel, according to the International Game Fish Association.

Or, to display all related content view all resources for Northern Snakehead. Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office. It reaches sexual maturity at age two or three, when it will be about 30 to 35 cm (1 ft 0 in–1 ft 2 in) long.

The fish was likely introduced to the United States by people who bought live snakehead from fish markets or pet shops and later released them into lakes, rivers or ponds. Anglers are reminded that possession, transport, and importation of a live snakehead is unlawful in both Pennsylvania and Maryland. Blotches toward the front tend to separate between top and bottom sections, while rear blotches are more likely to be contiguous. Recent flooding may have allowed the species to spread into the nearby White River, which would allow an eventual population of the fish in the Arkansas and Mississippi Rivers. It is generally reported to reach a length up to 100 cm, but specimens approaching 150 cm are known according to Russian ichthyologists. They are somewhat limited to that stretch of the river and its local tributaries, upstream by the Great Falls, and downstream by the salinity of Chesapeake Bay. [18][19], In late 2013, authorities in Virginia and Maryland were counting snakeheads in the Chesapeake Bay to better understand the impact of the introduction of the fish to the local ecosystem. 2009, NSWG 2006). Ron P. Swegman, author of several angling essays on Central Park's ponds, confirmed the species had put both anglers and the New York State DEP on high alert.