The Northern Snakehead; another story about snakes again this week? No, the Northern Snakehead isn’t a snake- it’s a fish. First, let’s look at a little biology regarding the snakehead. The Northern Snakehead isn’t native to the United States; therefore, it is considered an invasive species. It’s a freshwater fish that can reach lengths of up to 33 inches, and as the name implies, it’s head and body resemble a snake. The long pike-like body is a brownish-gray with dark brown blotches resembling some patterns found on snakes. A dorsal fin extends most of the length of the back, and the mouth is well equipped with sharp teeth. Another interesting characteristic of this invasive species is that it can breathe out of water utilizing a respiratory bladder that is similar to a lung, and it can survive out of water for up to three days!

The snakehead was originally found in China, Russia, and North and South Korea. The snakehead prefers slow rivers and streams and can also be found in a habitat similar to what a largemouth bass would use. The snakehead is an aggressive feeder, and herein lies the problem since the snakehead can become a threat to many of our native fish like the smallmouth bass. Of course, that wouldn’t be a problem if the snakehead had stayed in its homeland, but that’s not the case — it is now showing up in several Pennsylvania waterways.

You may be asking, “How on earth did it get here in the first place?” It is believed that they were first introduced by those practicing ritual fish releases, which in some cultures, it was believed would result in “attracting good karma.” In the U. S. the snakeheads first showed up in 2002 when a pair was discovered in a pond in Maryland. Snakeheads were first confirmed in Pennsylvania in Meadow Lake in Philadelphia County in 2004. Later they began showing up in the lower Schuylkill River and the Delaware River. In the summer of 2018, anglers began catching them in Octoraro Creek in Lancaster County, a tributary to the Susquehanna River. More recently, there has been a documented movement of 21 snakeheads past the Conowingo Dam into the Conowingo Pool, a 14-mile long stretch of the Susquehanna River that runs up to the Holtwood Dam. In other words, they are now in the lower Susquehanna River, and they have also been found in the Monongahela River in western Pennsylvania.

In the meantime, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is doing what it can to stop the spread and remove any existing snakeheads. Anglers are encouraged to do their part by killing any snakeheads that they may catch. Everyone should also be aware that possession, transport, and importation of a live snakehead is unlawful in both Pennsylvania and Maryland.

Anglers who suspect they may have caught a snakehead are encouraged to remove and kill the fish and to report it to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission at 610-847-2442 or by e-mail to tgrabowski@pa.gov. You can also learn more about the Northern Snakehead by going to the commission’s resource page at http://www.fishandboat.com.