The state Department is asking anglers in the Upper Delaware River to be on the lookout for northern snakeheads following the catching of one recently by an angler in the Callicoon area of the river.
The toothy, invasive fish, native to Southeast Asia, are listed federally as “injurious wildlife,” and New York law prohibits their live possession. Given the right conditions, DEC said, this fish can prey on and compete with other fish, upsetting the natural balance of local ecosystems.
The Upper Delaware is currently ranked among the top trout-fishing waterways in the country.
“Any snakehead caught should be killed immediately and not released back into the water,” said Basil Seggos, commissioner of the DEC.
The open mouth of a Northern snakehead.
Northern snakeheads are long, thin fish with a single fin running the length of the back. These invasive fish are generally brown with large, dark blotches along their sides and can grow up to three feet. They have a somewhat flattened head and a large mouth with many teeth.
Juveniles feed on a wide variety of microscopic organisms, insect larvae, and crustaceans that native fish rely on for food. As adults, northern snakeheads feed mostly on other fish species, but also crustaceans, reptiles, mammals and small birds.
Northern snakeheads are similar to bowfins, which are native to this state’s waters. Bowfin can most easily be distinguished from snakeheads by a shorter anal fin and a rounded tail fin.
Northern snakeheads are very similar to New York's native bowfin (Amia calva).
Besides aquarium dumping, people also contribute to the spread of snakeheads by illegally using them as bait or unknowingly transporting juveniles in the water-containing compartments of boats.
Anglers often call them “Frankenfish” for their ability to temporarily move around on land, and even breathe air. Read more on the DEC website.
The best way to deal with them, DEC said, is prevent their spread and establishment in a waterway. Removal methods, such as netting, electrofishing, or the application of piscicides (fish-killing chemicals) can also be used.
“However, these approaches would most likely prove futile given the size and flow associated with the Delaware River,” DEC said.
In New York State, snakeheads have been found in two ponds in Queens in 2005, and were eradicated from Ridgebury Lake in Orange County in 2008. DEC is currently sampling the location where the fish was located to determine if the population is widespread.
Northern snakehead prefer warm slack water for summer spawning and flows and colder temperatures may serve as a natural barrier against expansion. DEC is also collaborating with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and National Park Service to monitor these invasive fish.
In the event an angler catches a northern snakehead, DEC advises anglers to:
- Not release it back to the water;
- Kill the fish immediately;
- If possible, take pictures of the fish, including close-ups of its mouth, fins, and tail;
- Freeze it whole in case DEC needs to verify identification or collect tissue samples. Carcasses missing fillets can still be used by the DEC;
- Note where it was caught (water body, landmarks or GPS coordinates); and
- Report the catch to the regional NYS DEC fisheries office, DEC’s Invasive Species Bureau at isinfo@dec.ny.gov or (518) 402-9425, or submit a report through iMapinvasives.
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