If you enjoy fishing or any aquatic activities then you should be concerned about the snakehead fish. The snakehead fish is threatening our lakes and rivers for the worse. This invasive species fish is threatening people’s livelihoods, and their hobbies. If we do not take action and do anything about the snakehead fish, we may not have excellent waters anymore for our sports, and pass-times that we put so much money, time, and energy in to. Snakeheads are a fish native to eastern Asia and were recently introduced to North America. They were first introduced by Asian food importers to establish a population of harvestable snakehead to supplement, and reduce the foreign import of the highly desired food product. They have also been introduced through release of pet snakeheads into the wild illegally. The first reproducing population were found in a pond in Maryland in …show more content…
In 2004 northern snakeheads were discovered in the lower Potomac River. Early analysis of the age structure of the population suggested that snakeheads had been in this system since approximately 1998. In 2008 reproducing populations were discovered in the Hudson River drainage, and the Mississippi River drainage. Both state agencies are involved in massive eradication efforts to prevent snakeheads from reaching the main rivers of these drainage basins. Snakehead fish have a diet very similar to that of a Largemouth Bass. Their diet consists of crayfish, other native fish, snakes, small mammals, frogs, turtles, etc. The reason that snakeheads are bad is because they eat native fish that will not eat them. This really decreases the other fish populations and it is very hard on native ecosystems. There