That's one ugly fish!
Posted on 09/24/2003 11:45:19 AM PDT by Brian S
'Snakehead' Fish, an Invasive Species From Asia, Found in Wisconsin's Rock River
The Associated Press
JANESVILLE, Wis. Sept. 24 — A carnivorous alien fish known for its voracious appetite and ability to wriggle short distances on land has been found in southern Wisconsin's Rock River. The discovery of the 2-foot-long giant snakehead by the state Department of Natural Resources marks the first time the species, a native of Asia, has been found in Wisconsin waters, where officials said it may not survive the winter cold.
"This was a real wake-up call," said Mike Staggs, director of fisheries at the DNR.
The giant snakehead can grow to more than three feet in length, and fish managers say that with no natural predator, it could change the local fish population and introduce new diseases.
A year ago, wildlife officials in Maryland killed six adult and more than 1,000 juvenile northern snakehead, a close relative to the giant snakehead, found in a pond.
The DNR found the giant snakehead during a routine fish survey of the Rock River Sept. 4.
The DNR said an employee misidentified the fish as a native bowfin. It was photographed and released before the DNR later concluded it was a snakehead.
Two crews were sent back to the river last Thursday and three more crews went back Tuesday to look for evidence of snakeheads but found none, Staggs said.
Staggs said the results indicate the fish does not appear to be widespread in the river, and the individual snakehead likely was released by a hobbyist after outgrowing an aquarium.
Releasing aquarium fish into the wild in Wisconsin is illegal.
It's unlikely the giant snakehead could survive the cold water of a Wisconsin winter, Staggs said.
That's one ugly fish!
LOL...I thought the article was going to be about Carville or Colmes. :o)
|
YUMMY!!
D - Damn! All out of dried duck gizzard! ;-)
Picture of the voracious Snakhead Fish from China displayed by Maryland DNR
Maryland Department of Natural Resources officials discovered the presence of the species in May, after an angler caught a suspicious fish and provided a photo for identification. They determined that an unnamed individual put two foot-long fish of unknown sex into the Crofton pond sometime in 2000. Since that time, the presence of additional northern snakeheads in the pond has been confirmed.
DNR Fisheries Service Director Eric C. Schwaab states, "They [snakeheads] are top-level predators so they clearly can eat a lot of the native fish there and displace other native top-level predators, like large-mouth bass and pickerel, both of which are in that pond. One of the problems with non-native species is you never know what the impact is going to be."
"This situation again points out the responsibility we all share to refrain from purposeful release of fish to our waterways and to take great care to prevent even accidental introductions of non-native bait, plants or other species when we go fishing, boating, or otherwise venture into the natural environment," Schwaab continued.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
