He continues, “Trying to get estimates on how many are out there is impossible because, counting the tributaries, it now inhabits several hundred miles of water. “There’s no doubt the northern snakehead is here to stay, and attempts at eradication would be futile,” says NJ Division of Fish & Wildlife principal fisheries biologist Chris Smith, himself a bass circuit competitor who has caught snakeheads during tournaments on the Potomac. The Big D’s tributaries beckoned, and anglers fishing these waters are now living with the results. They soon found their way into the Schuylkill, and from there it was only a few flicks of their wide, slightly indented tails before they were in the Delaware River. Whether the fish were released because they had become too large for a home aquarium or were freed to establish a source of food for a select residential population is moot. Why? Because it’s an extremely prolific late-spring spawner, it’s an indiscriminant first-level predator, it can breathe air and survive out of water for several hours, and it has the tolerance to thrive in a variety of environments, even those that might also be called toxic waste ditches.Īs per the “official” record, the snakehead’s origin in this area (it was already established in several tidal waters in Maryland and Virginia) was a lake in Philadelphia’s FDR Park.

Executed! What remained of an estimated 6-pound snakehead found along the walking path at Newton Lake in Collingswood.įor almost a decade, the presence of the Northern snakehead has been causing anxiety among fisheries managers, bass fishing enthusiasts, bass fishing clubs, and panfish-even more so than its fellow alien, the flathead catfish. From there, it may enter the Raritan River proper during a catastrophic rain event (like the one that created Tilcon Lake in Warren County) and subsequent overland flooding. Anglers are asked to NOT RELEASE Northern Snakehead alive.If it hasn’t already, it is very likely that this voracious invader will soon infiltrate the languid 30-mile Delaware-and-Raritan Canal in Trenton (Mercer County). Anyone reporting a tag will receive a certificate of participation and a reward. You will be asked to provide information about the location, date, gear used and length of the tagged snakehead. If you catch a tagged snakehead, please call the toll free number 1-80. With the help of the public we can continue to control populations of Northern Snakehead where they exist, which should help minimize future negative impacts. For this reason we encourage anglers to target and harvest Northern Snakehead when captured.Īlthough it is doubtful that complete eradication can be achieved, control efforts have been successful. We have learned that harvest by anglers can remove over 25% of the local population, which goes a long way toward reducing snakehead numbers. For example, we have been studying the fish community in the Blackwater River drainage to assess changes following establishment of Northern Snakehead. We are monitoring the status of snakehead populations in several Chesapeake Bay tributaries, and are studying whether they can be controlled through removal. Learn more about invasive species in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Their unwelcome presence can destroy ecosystems and cost millions of dollars. The Maryland Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office is working with state and federal partners to determine the most effective way to reduce the spread of this invasive species invasive speciesĪn invasive species is any plant or animal that has spread or been introduced into a new area where they are, or could, cause harm to the environment, economy, or human, animal, or plant health.

Authorities in all states are working to control snakehead populations, and prevent colonization of additional waterways. Northern Snakehead is listed as an injurious species under the Lacey Act, meaning it cannot be possessed or transported live. Northern Snakeheads have also been found in rivers in NY, PA, and AK. Soon after in 2004, snakeheads were found in the Potomac River, and have since been found throughout nearly all of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. In 2002, they were first found in a pond in Crofton, MD. Northern Snakehead is native to Asia but has successfully colonized the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Snakehead fish nj