Fishermen Told to Kill Dangerous, Invasive Fish on Sight if Seen

Will these 'invasive sea creatures' that can allegedly survive on land be in Texas soon?

Let's hope not. The idea of invasive, 'dangerous' sea creatures is bad enough without also worrying about them surviving OUT of the water near Tyler, Texas.

In late May, the New York Post shared a story about a creature that had been found in waters in Virginia and was also spotted in New Jersey, having wound its way up through Delaware tributaries.

Even though experts have warned fishermen to kill it if they catch it due to its invasive and potentially dangerous nature according to some, the Northern Snakehead continues to migrate and thrive according to NJ.com.

In 2019, the Northern Snakehead was spotted in Missouri waters. That's getting closer and closer to Texas.

Where did the Northern Snakehead originate and will it reach our Texas waters?

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Wikipedia says 'The northern snakehead (Channa argus) is a species of snakehead fish native to temperate East Asia, in China, Russia, North Korea, and South Korea. Their natural range goes from the Amur River watershed in Siberia and Manchuria down to Hainan.'

In Asian countries, this is considered an important 'food fish.'

So, if it originated in Asia, how in the world did it make its way to the United States?

According to the New York Post, 'Snakeheads have reached American shores most likely due to releases from aquariums and fish markets, according to New York State’s Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC).'

One of the reasons it is potentially dangerous is that it has the potential to wipe out native fish populations and destroy local ecosystems. That's one of the reasons fishermen are asked to kill it. However, don't think you can simply catch it and leave out of the water. This species, which can grow up to 3 feet long, can stay alive for several days on land by breathing air.

The head must be severed.

Check out this quick video where experts discuss it from NJ.com:

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Source: Fishermen Told to Kill Dangerous, Invasive Fish on Sight if Seen in Texas Waters