Frankenfish: Invasive Snakehead Threatens Chesapeake Bay Watershed

Since its illegal release into the Potomac River in 2004, the invasive northern snakehead (Channa argus) has spread throughout the tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay.

Duration:

6 minutes, 50 seconds

Northern snakehead is probably the best known of the “Big 3” invasive fish in the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay. Along with blue catfish and flathead catfish, snakehead are opportunistic predators that eat and compete with native fish species. Learn more about this “Frankenfish” and what you can do to help.

How You Can Help

• Catch and dispatch any snakehead.
• Harvesting these fish helps reduce their population. (They’re also known to be quite tasty.)
• The D.C. Department of Energy and Environment advises, “Snakeheads should be immediately killed by removing the head, removing all vital organs, or removing both gill arches.”

Where to Find Them

Snakehead can be found in slow and shallow waters of rivers draining into the Chesapeake Bay and beyond. They can tolerate low oxygen waters and periodically come to the surface to gulp air.

Tags: chesapeake & ohio canal national historical park, george washington memorial parkway, kenilworth park & aquatic gardens , national capital parks-east , snakehead, invasive species, invasive fish, wildlife, freshwater fish, fishing, chesapeake channa, potomac river, anacostia river, nature, ncr