Snakehead Survey

[Sampson]

A tagged snakehead may be profitable and tasty. ​

Tagging Study Offers Money for Harvesting Northern Snakeheads​

May 24, 2022

Snakeheads in the Chesapeake Bay or Blackwater River Worth up to $200

Northern snakeheads caught in the Blackwater River. Photo by Stephen Badger.
In an effort to monitor invasive northern snakeheads in the Chesapeake Bay and Blackwater River, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announces a new tagging program in conjunction with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

Both agencies are placing yellow or blue tags on up to 500 northern snakeheads. Each tagged northern snakehead caught and harvested from now until 2024 could be rewarded with a gift card of $10 or $200 depending on the tag.

In order to qualify, the harvester must report the tag number to USFWS at 800-448-8322, and is asked to take a picture of their harvested and tagged northern snakehead. Only harvested northern snakeheads with reported tags will qualify for gift cards.

By measuring the amount of northern snakehead harvested, the agencies will learn if population benchmarks are being reached and help control the spread of the species.

The population of snakeheads has been increasing in the upper Chesapeake Bay and is likely the top fish species that eats other fish in the Blackwater River. Harvesting snakeheads helps reduce predation pressure on the state’s natural resources, and the fish is also considered a flavorful and nutritious food source.

It is illegal to transport a live northern snakehead in Maryland and surrounding states. More information on snakeheads is available on the DNR website.

Anyone fishing in Maryland waters who is 16 years of age or older must have a valid Maryland fishing license. More information on licenses and how to get them is also on the DNR website

 

[GunBum]

Or, since DNR and USFWS had 500 invasive Northern Snakeheads out of the water to tag them, they could have killed them and helped solve the problem. Instead, they wasted tax dollars catching them, tagging them, releasing them to continue reproducing, and then are wasting tax dollars for someone to catch them again and get a reward for a fish that shouldn’t be in the water anyway. They could just give bounties for catching and removing the fish.

 

[dannyp]

Or, since DNR and USFWS had 500 invasive Northern Snakeheads out of the water to tag them, they could have killed them and helped solve the problem. Instead, they wasted tax dollars catching them, tagging them, releasing them to continue reproducing, and then are wasting tax dollars for someone to catch them again and get a reward for a fish that shouldn’t be in the water anyway. They could just give bounties for catching and removing the fish.

plus 1 , they need to kill them all .

 

[Park ranger]

Or, since DNR and USFWS had 500 invasive Northern Snakeheads out of the water to tag them, they could have killed them and helped solve the problem. Instead, they wasted tax dollars catching them, tagging them, releasing them to continue reproducing, and then are wasting tax dollars for someone to catch them again and get a reward for a fish that shouldn’t be in the water anyway. They could just give bounties for catching and removing the fish.

Gotta say, I can't argue with you.

 

[Overwatcher]

Next there will be regulations about catching them, and they will become a sport fish that states can make money on .

 

[outrider58]

Survey says... snakeheads are delish!

 

[teratos]

Survey says... snakeheads are delish!

Hell yes they are. Better than Rockfish.

 

[Squaregrouper]

I'm 99% sure this is to determine how far they travel.
Snakeheads travelled from the mainland to the Eastern Shore. That is a lot of brackish or saltwater for a freshwater fish to travel. Very few species can handle that much osmotic stress, and I don't believe Northern Snakeheads are one of those species. It makes me wonder if there was human interaction involved.

 

[Pale Ryder]

I'm 99% sure this is to determine how far they travel.
Snakeheads travelled from the mainland to the Eastern Shore. That is a lot of brackish or saltwater for a freshwater fish to travel. Very few species can handle that much osmotic stress, and I don't believe Northern Snakeheads are one of those species. It makes me wonder if there was human interaction involved.

Seeing as they came from Chyna. Frankenfish?

 

[Squaregrouper]

Seeing as they came from Chyna. Frankenfish?

The ones in Maryland came from an Asian market in NYC. They were released into a pond in Crofton (I think it was Crofton). They spread from there.
The extended marine travel it what I am questioning.

 

[outrider58]

The ones in Maryland came from an Asian market in NYC. They were released into a pond in Crofton (I think it was Crofton). They spread from there.
The extended marine travel it what I am questioning.

Blue catfish seem to be making that journey as well. We've had a few rainy springs in recent years. Enough to move the salinity southward? It wouldn't be hard to imagine the salinity(up bay) dropping to the point that fresh water species could swim from creek mouth to creek mouth, all the while working their way further around the bay.

 

[cms1528]

I have been trying to catch a snakehead off and on, would love to throw it in the frying pan.

 

[Wsanner]

VA has been tagging them for years now. However they usually get shot before they get out of the creek that they release them in.

 

[mauser58]

The ones in Maryland came from an Asian market in NYC. They were released into a pond in Crofton (I think it was Crofton). They spread from there.
The extended marine travel it what I am questioning.

The DNR dont really know where they all came from. I used to fish that pond in Crofton in the 80,s and early 90,s. These snakeheads were sold in pet stores back then as aquarium fish. Many people were flushing them and throwing them in rivers and creeks to get rid of them. They were growing too fast in an aquarium. Also many came from ships bilges and brought here in ship bilges and the eggs and fish and other stuff like mitten crabs pumped into the bay. I caught a huge one today in bush river. Another guy caught one today in Bear Creek and brought it into the fishing shop. I saw two of them this week alone swimming by me fishing the bush river. Tthe DNR and USFW is tagging these to do a survey. They are tagging and recording weight, length and area. When one is caught and reported they ask you info to learn their habits. Trying to figure many factors and also if and how far they are traveling. I agree with you all on having bounty. They are eating many fish like white and yellow perch, bluegills and crabs. I caught one last week on a white perch fillet I tossed out. The bay is thick with them in the tributaries

 

[mauser58]

Blue catfish seem to be making that journey as well. We've had a few rainy springs in recent years. Enough to move the salinity southward? I wouldn't be hard to imagine the salinity(up bay) dropping to the point that fresh water species could swim from creek mouth to creek mouth, all the while working their way further around the bay.

I have been catching channel catfish every day where I work. I fish after work and also getting many perch but they are starting to go deeper. Also LM Bass and rockfish. Catching a few snakeheads a week. Biggest was 15 pounds and a few 9 and 10 pounders. They are excellent eating. I fillet them all.

 

[Rambler]

I used to live (somewhat) near that pond in Crofton; bought my kids first bikes from the shop in front of it. At the time they were found there IIRC the hypothesis was that they had been being sold in Asian markets (live in a tank) and someone released some to have their own stock. They electrically/chemically (?) stunned the pond and thought they solved the problem. Obviously they did not.

 

[outrider58]

I used to live (somewhat) near that pond in Crofton; bought my kids first bikes from the shop in front of it. At the time they were found there IIRC the hypothesis was that they had been being sold in Asian markets (live in a tank) and someone released some to have their own stock. They electrically/chemically (?) stunned the pond and thought they solved the problem. Obviously they did not.

My hypothesis is, more than one culprit had the same idea in their own neck-of-the-woods.

 

[Slackdaddy]

I'm 99% sure this is to determine how far they travel.
Snakeheads travelled from the mainland to the Eastern Shore. That is a lot of brackish or saltwater for a freshwater fish to travel. Very few species can handle that much osmotic stress, and I don't believe Northern Snakeheads are one of those species. It makes me wonder if there was human interaction involved.

"bucket biologists"

 

[Squaregrouper]

The DNR dont really know where they all came from. I used to fish that pond in Crofton in the 80,s and early 90,s. These snakeheads were sold in pet stores back then as aquarium fish. Many people were flushing them and throwing them in rivers and creeks to get rid of them. They were growing too fast in an aquarium. Also many came from ships bilges and brought here in ship bilges and the eggs and fish and other stuff like mitten crabs pumped into the bay. I caught a huge one today in bush river. Another guy caught one today in Bear Creek and brought it into the fishing shop. I saw two of them this week alone swimming by me fishing the bush river. Tthe DNR and USFW is tagging these to do a survey. They are tagging and recording weight, length and area. When one is caught and reported they ask you info to learn their habits. Trying to figure many factors and also if and how far they are traveling. I agree with you all on having bounty. They are eating many fish like white and yellow perch, bluegills and crabs. I caught one last week on a white perch fillet I tossed out. The bay is thick with them in the tributaries

Totally different species. The "pet store snakeheads" wouldn't survive a Maryland winter.

 

[mauser58]

An Invasive Fish That Can Breathe and Move on Land Has Been Found in Georgia

Officials have issued blunt instructions to anyone who spots a northern snakehead: ‘Kill it immediately’

www.smithsonianmag.com