Snakeheads in the Potomac

     Snakeheads are native to Russia, China, and Korea. The northern snakeheads can grow to over 40 inches in length and nearly 20 pounds in weight. These fish are also known by the name of “Frankenfish” because of their voracious appetite and large teeth. They have the ability to live for short periods of time out of water which allow them to move to other waterways that may be nearby.

                                                                    
                                                                       Snakehead

“Fisherman have caught them in tributaries north and south of the Potomac. Snakeheads -named for the snakelike pattern on their skin - first showed up in a pond in Crofton, Md., in 2002. Two years later, in May 2004, one was caught by an angler in Little Hunting Creek in Fairfax County” (Gross 1).

　

 
                                                          Snakehead “aka” Frankenfish

      Snakeheads are believed to be freshwater fish, but they appear to be not be as susceptible to salinity issues as first thought. Researchers are now expecting them to eventually make it to the mouth of the Rappahannock River.

      These fish have grown in population north of the Potomac every year since 2004, except for a leveling off in 2011. This year, 2012, will show whether the static numbers in 2011 is a trend or an anomaly. Maryland has encouraged fishermen to assist in limiting the population by allowing fishermen to sell Snakeheads. These fish have been found in Maryland in the Patuxent River and south of Annapolis in the Rhode River. There is now a niche market for Snakehead which is a white, mild, flaky fish. There is also The Potomac Snakehead fishing tournament that yields over 1000 pounds of the fish.
      The Snakehead is an invasive species because they are not native to this country.  They are originally from Asia.  They came to the U.S. as a food source sold at fish markets and as pets kept in aquariums.  The Snakehead are voracious eaters and 90% of their diet consist of eating other fish.  They are predators and crowd out native species of fish.  Though the Snakehead has not yet had the devastating affect on the ecosystem of the Potomac River as first feared, there is still a lot that is unknown about them. In the Potomac River, the population of Snakehead has not been accurately recorded. Until the true effects of the Snakehead are known, ways to reduce the numbers of Snakeheads in rivers and tributaries must be explored.  

Works Cited

Gross, Edie. Snakehead Fish, at Home in the Potomac River, Could Swim South to

      Rappahannock Waters. The Free Lance Star, 16 June 2012. Web. 26 September

      2012.