$200 per Snakehead

[moganman]

I need to get my rod and reel and make some money!!!

[DTony]

I don't see why they're focusing on the Snakehead.. They're here to stay.. The US needs to look at other invasives then worry about Channa.. Channa compared to Carp or hell, Common Pleco's is like a drop in the bucket. Pleco's and Carp's do more damage to the ecosystems than Channa do.. and most of these stories of Channa are exaggerated. If the US really wanted to do something, they should outright ban the sale of Common Plecos. Pleco's and Carp eat fish eggs and aquatic plants.. which is far more detrimental than a Snakehead eating other fish and mammals. We should focus our attention on the real killers, and just accept the fact that we need to devote our time to those real killers, instead of focusing on an animal thats here to stay and does little damage compared to the other invasives.

[eklikewhoa]

The root of all this evil.... man.

[TonyO]

As someone who grew up a short bike ride from Lake Michigan, has a relative who is a fisheries biologist in the Great Lakes, and has worked with invasive species, I can assure you there is a heavy focus on certain species of carp.

I wouldn't call the potential damage from snakeheads "little." These things get massive, are predatory (and non-specific feeders), and have few potential predators at some of their adult sizes. Unfortunately, we spend billions on eradication, and many of these species are here to stay because they're entrenched beyond a local level. If you don't get them early, and stay on them, you'll never get rid of them.

[eklikewhoa]

It's like the amazon coming to us now!

We've tore down their natural habitat in the past and now they've adapted to what we made of it.

[moganman]

Some people love to catch and eat snakeheads. If I caught one, I'd eat it.

[TangoMIke]

Check out the story...It has been changed. Dang I had my rod and a bunch of endlers as bait and a one way ticket to Md.

[R_sustaita]

Check out the story...It has been changed. Dang I had my rod and a bunch of endlers as bait and a one way ticket to Md.

that is funny Mike!

[moganman]

As someone who grew up a short bike ride from Lake Michigan, has a relative who is a fisheries biologist in the Great Lakes, and has worked with invasive species, I can assure you there is a heavy focus on certain species of carp.

I wouldn't call the potential damage from snakeheads "little." These things get massive, are predatory (and non-specific feeders), and have few potential predators at some of their adult sizes. Unfortunately, we spend billions on eradication, and many of these species are here to stay because they're entrenched beyond a local level. If you don't get them early, and stay on them, you'll never get rid of them.

Your relative must be a smart man. I think the best thing to do is hire some local fishermen and commercialize them. I heard they taste good. I do believe snakeheads are worse than the others mentioned, simply because they do eat zoo plankton as fry and juveniles. They threaten all levels of the food chain and they dont have any natural predators. One study in a small pond, after poisoning, there were only 6 adults but over 1000 fry and juveniles, which proves that they are prolific breeders. If anyone though tilapia were bad, these are worse, because they breed faster, grow faster, and unlike tilapia, they aren't considered by many as table fare. More research needs to be done, before some type of solution can be reached.

[aggrocichlidfan]

An invasive species of this level and size....pshhhh they're wasting valuablr gov't money...you cant stop them. They've been here too long and are too aggressive...its ashame what money is being poured into now a days....hell, lets kill all the sharks in the world too. They dont have very many known predators.

[moganman]

An invasive species of this level and size....pshhhh they're wasting valuablr gov't money...you cant stop them. They've been here too long and are too aggressive...its ashame what money is being poured into now a days....hell, lets kill all the sharks in the world too. They dont have very many known predators.

You my friend are wrong. Sharks aren't as reproductive. Takes them over 10 years to reach sexual maturity. They don't conquer and destroy natural habitat and resources. If the snakeheads didn't reproduce as much, they wouldn't need natural predators to control the offspring. And sharks aren't man killers like people portray them to be.

[aggrocichlidfan]

You my friend are wrong. Sharks aren't as reproductive. Takes them over 10 years to reach sexual maturity. They don't conquer and destroy natural habitat and resources. If the snakeheads didn't reproduce as much, they wouldn't need natural predators to control the offspring. And sharks aren't man killers like people portray them to be.

It was a comparison. A big percentage of ppl see them as man killers. A promise you everyone knowswhat a shark is...few know what a snake head is. I have nothing against sharks. I love aggressive animals, hence the username. Snake heads are invasive. But id pay more then 200 for a snakehead especially if its a cobra snake head...what don't they use that money and put it towards the rainforest or something?? You know how many species are unknown there?? My point is. There's other places that money could go.and I think wee all could aggree.

[moganman]

You have to realize that the potomac river runs through Maryland and they could end up in the great lakes. Salmon, halibut, walleye, crappie, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, etc. You get the point. That's why they are spending this type of money to get rid of them. It's more serious than you are thinking. It could get bad and hurt the industries that rely heavily on the great lakes.

[danielp]

There is some serious fisheries biology101 needed in this chain of comments.

[moganman]

I majored in fisheries biology at A&M. Traveled to three different continents. I don't know much about the snakehead but I do know a little about ecology and the effects of invasive species.