Snakehead Fish
The georgia department of natural resources wildlife resources division confirmed someone found a northern snakehead in early october in a pond on private property in gwinnett county marking the first time the invasive fish has been found in the state.
Snakehead fish. The northern snakehead channa argus is a native of the yangtze river basin in china. Hear from the fisherman who caught the creature who can breathe on land and in water and why the dnr says you should kill northern snakehead fish immediately. Snakehead can be caught on paid farms for example in the suburbs. Snakehead fish is found in siberia and central asia.
Live snakeheads of one species that are being cultured in hawaii but not exported to the united states mainland are available in one market in honolulu. Snakeheads are predatory fish that have some surprising characteristics. Fisheries scientists as an invasive species due to the fact that it can potentially threaten native species and native ecosystems much the way non native carp have disrupted native populations in some waters. It is still unknown how exactly the fish was introduced to north american waters.
Humans have been introducing snakeheads to nonindigenous waters for over 100 years. Considering the thermophilic nature of the species regions with a warm climate or reservoirs with artificially heated water used to heat or cool process water are suitable for life and breeding. Fishes of the family channidae are commonly referred to as snakeheads and consist of two genera channa and parachanna and approximately 21 species. 11alive is where atlanta speaks.
The giant snakehead is a voracious predator with sharp teeth a large mouth and strong jaws. It has a lung like organ in addition to gills and can breathe in air. The snakehead channa or parachanna sp is a non native air breathing freshwater fish that is regarded by us. In parts of asia and africa the snakehead is considered a valuable food fish and is produced in aquacultures fisheries motivation or by ignorance as was the case in crofton maryland.
The snakehead fish also sometimes called the frankenfish or fishzilla is not native to north america. Instead it originated in parts of asia and africa. Dead snakehead fish on ice or frozen can be imported for food purposes to any state except those where importation or possession of dead snakeheads is illegal.