Posted on 08/29/2022 9:41:09 PM PDT by 11th_VA
Sightings of alligator gar - dubbed “monster fish” in mainland China - which authorities fear could trigger an ecological disaster have been reported in at least eight provinces. This followed the draining of an entire lake in central China on the weekend that eventually caught a pair of the invasive fish species.
The large species of freshwater fish, which has razor-sharp teeth and can grow up to three metres long, has captivated the nation after a high-profile, month-long hunt for it that culminated in the draining of an entire lake in the city of Ruzhou in Henan. Now other parts of the country, including capital city Beijing, have reported the existence of the previously little-known fish, which many fear could harm local residents and the environment as it has few natural predators.
Normally found in North and Central America and believed to have entered China through the exotic pet trade, a male and a female alligator gar, measuring 70 and 90 centimetres respectively, were caught and received “harmless treatment” in the Ruzhou lake on Saturday.
The capture came after a month-long search was triggered following a sighting by a local resident and a video of the fish appeared online in July…
Though reports about attacks on people are rare, they pose a passive threat as its eggs are poisonous to humans if ingested. Chinese authorities have listed it as one of the 10 major invasive organisms threatening China’s ecosystem.
(Excerpt) Read more at amp.scmp.com ...
Yep! Payback is a b*tch!
Yeah - I forgot the Fire ants 🐜 too …
And brown marmorated stinkbug.
Go gars!!!
I have seen snakehead fish.
I love these Chinese fire drills. The same as their dumbass lockdowns. What idiots. I thought The Han were supposed to be hi-IQ. Bring back Mao-Tse-Tung! He knew how to run a country.
Awwww, my sympathy is zero.
The list of what they have sent our way via illegal pet trading and improperly flushing their bilges near shore is too long to post!
I caught gar all the time in Texas. Not particularly tasty. I always throw them back in the water. In my opinion they are brilliant beautiful creatures. Just doing what they do. Hence why I debarb all my hooks.
I once hooked a gar on Lake Ten Killer.
I was furious as it had my brand new Rapala lure attached to crochety alligator mouth.
My friend was equally angry and insisted I just reel him in.
He busted on that thing with am oar from our boat.
Pounded it pretty dern hard a couple times and then cut my line.
“What the hell!” I exclaimed, knowing I had just lost my lure as the gar disappeared beneath the water.
“I hope that thing rusts in his mouth and he dies a slow painful death!” my retorted.
“Eff him and serves him right” I yelled
Freakin gar.
He’s probably still swimming around with my lure 30 years later.
I hate gar.
A massive threat that can be neutralized simply by not eating the eggs.
Had no idea the eggs are toxic, never heard that before.
Citrus greening disease...green ash borer too, I think. Chestnut disease...
Don’t forget Asian carp.
Caviar for your enemies.
Ahhh....remember going to Alton IL to do some fishing with family when my daughter was about five. Her grandpa set her up with a fishing pole and she sat quietly on the dock. A few minutes later we hear a blood curdling scream. She threw the fishing pole in the river and ran up the dock. Grandpa, not wanting to lose a good pole, jumped in to save it. On the other end was a snapping two foot gar. He took a fishing knife and cut off the head. Said you never cut ‘em lose because of all the fish they destroy. 40 years later we still tease her about her fishing skills.
Almost forgot bubonic plague. Twice.
Used to catch them on the Brazos as a kid. Steel leader with 6-10” frayed nylon rope. Some came in like a waterlogged branch, some fought like a marlin.
I remember my dad catching a gar in the Tallapoosa River in Alabama when I was small. It was long and skinny...maybe 1 1/2 feet long. My dad’s nickname was “hook” because he was always fishing...lol
Emerald ash borer.
Chestnut blight.
Dutch elms disease.
Asian longhorn beatle.
The list goes on...
Emerald ash borer.
Chestnut blight.
Dutch elms disease.
Asian longhorn beatle.
The list goes on...
zebra mussels and Asian carp
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