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| Copyright 2012 by Helenah Swedberg |
The world record northern snakehead fish was caught a few weeks ago on the Occoquan river, which is a tributary of the Potomac River in Virginia. This catch is remarkable in two ways. First, it underscores how deeply the invasive snakeheads have dug in on the Potomac since their introduction only about a decade ago. Secondly, the species now gets bigger here than it does in back in its native habitat in Asia.
I have personally fished for snakeheads only a few miles from the confluence of the Occoquan and the Potomac as recently as March. The muddy, weed-choked backwaters outside of the main river are perfect snakehead habitat. The only predators I've seen in that area that pose a threat to a mature snakehead are the ospreys and occasional bald eagles.
It seems strange that a newly introduced species could out-weigh the originating population so quickly. But in fact this is a situation that we have seen before, even right here in Virginia.
Blue catfish are native to the Mississippi River Basin and Mississippians still take pride in the incredible size of their signature fish that can grow to over 100 pounds. Yet the world record blue cat was not caught in Mississippi or anywhere in its native range at all. The 143 pound world record was caught out of Buggs Island Lake only last year right here in Virginia.
The blue catfish is an invasive species in Virginia which was introduced in the 1970's as a game fish. I enjoy catching and eating blue cats as much as the next red-blooded cat-fisherman but that does not change the fact that they are an invasive species which is in competition with out native catfish for food and habitat.
The current reigning world record for largemouth bass was caught in California, but in 2009 the previous record was tied by a 22 lb 4 oz. fish caught in Japan, where largemouths are an invasive species.
An invasive species that gains an initial foothold often has a lot of built-in advantages over members of its own species back in its original native range. Often there is a lack of predators specializing in eating it. Plants or animals that the invasive species preys on may lack sophisticated defenses against the invader. Sometimes there are endemic diseases and parasites that the species normally has to deal with which were left behind in the move.
Finding the world record snakehead in Virginia rather than Asia shouldn't come as a shock. It makes sense, just like our world-record blue catfish or the Japanese largemouth.
Serious fishermen should bear this pattern in mind. If you want to catch a fish for the record books then look away from the species' native range. The world record fish of tomorrow will be found in today's invaded waters.
I have personally fished for snakeheads only a few miles from the confluence of the Occoquan and the Potomac as recently as March. The muddy, weed-choked backwaters outside of the main river are perfect snakehead habitat. The only predators I've seen in that area that pose a threat to a mature snakehead are the ospreys and occasional bald eagles.
It seems strange that a newly introduced species could out-weigh the originating population so quickly. But in fact this is a situation that we have seen before, even right here in Virginia.
Blue catfish are native to the Mississippi River Basin and Mississippians still take pride in the incredible size of their signature fish that can grow to over 100 pounds. Yet the world record blue cat was not caught in Mississippi or anywhere in its native range at all. The 143 pound world record was caught out of Buggs Island Lake only last year right here in Virginia.
The blue catfish is an invasive species in Virginia which was introduced in the 1970's as a game fish. I enjoy catching and eating blue cats as much as the next red-blooded cat-fisherman but that does not change the fact that they are an invasive species which is in competition with out native catfish for food and habitat.
The current reigning world record for largemouth bass was caught in California, but in 2009 the previous record was tied by a 22 lb 4 oz. fish caught in Japan, where largemouths are an invasive species.
An invasive species that gains an initial foothold often has a lot of built-in advantages over members of its own species back in its original native range. Often there is a lack of predators specializing in eating it. Plants or animals that the invasive species preys on may lack sophisticated defenses against the invader. Sometimes there are endemic diseases and parasites that the species normally has to deal with which were left behind in the move.
Finding the world record snakehead in Virginia rather than Asia shouldn't come as a shock. It makes sense, just like our world-record blue catfish or the Japanese largemouth.
Serious fishermen should bear this pattern in mind. If you want to catch a fish for the record books then look away from the species' native range. The world record fish of tomorrow will be found in today's invaded waters.
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