Northern Snakehead - Frequently Asked Questions

Snakehead Fish Caught in the Potomac River and its Tributaries:

For a detailed view of where the majority of northern snakeheads have been caught, please see the 2004 Snakehead Fish Capture Sites Map (PDF). Although this map is dated, the creeks shown remain "core areas" of abundance. The original distribution documented in 2004-2005 remained fairly stable until 2007 when the known colonized range expanded substantially - upstream to Little Falls and downstream to Aquia Creek (Stafford County). Currently, the known range encompasses about 50 miles of mainstem Potomac River and the tributaries of VA, MD and DC. Snakeheads are becoming abundant in all of Virginia's tidal tributaries to the Potomac River within this reach (e.g., Little Hunting Creek, Dogue Creek, Pohick Creek, Occoquan River, Neabsco Creek, Quantico Creek, and Aquia Creek).

Sampling continues along Virginia's Potomac River shoreline and within tidal tributaries. Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries biologists regularly sample a large portion of the Commonwealth's waters using a variety of methods and have not found any snakeheads outside of the tidal Potomac system in northern Virginia.

What should someone do if they think they've found a snakehead fish?

Before going fishing, anglers should familiarize themselves with the fish species found in Virginia. There are several native species, including the bowfin, lamprey, and the American eel, that look similar to the northern snakehead. For more information and assistance with learning the identifying differences between snakehead fish and native species, please see our "Do You Know The Difference?" information page. Any unusual fish needs to be reported to the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. We have established an in-state toll-free hotline (1-800-770-4951) that anglers can use to report snakehead fish. This number is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Out-of-state callers should telephone (804) 367-1258. If you think you've caught a snakehead fish, please do not release it. Kill the fish by:

  1. removing the head,
  2. separating the gill arches from the body, or
  3. removing the internal organs and put it on ice as quickly as possible.

Call the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries' hotline.

Is it illegal to own a snakehead fish in Virginia?

Yes, it is illegal to own one without a permit. In 2002, the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries added the snakehead fish to the list of predatory and undesirable exotic species, making it illegal to possess a snakehead fish in Virginia without a permit issued by the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. Federal regulations enacted in October 2002 prohibit the importation of snakehead fish into the United States and prohibit interstate transport of these animals. Individuals who still own a live snakehead need to contact the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries immediately for proper disposal of the fish. Effective July 1, 2005, anglers who legally catch a snakehead on hook-and-line may keep the fish to mount or eat providing they:

  1. immediately kill the fish using one or more of the alternatives listed above and
  2. notify the Department at the number listed above.

What will the Department do now that snakeheads have been found in Virginia?

Biologists continue to sample in areas where the fish were caught. Surveys for snakehead nests will occur when weather and water conditions allow. If more are found, then the approach for eradicating or controlling them will be determined by the features of the waterway in which they are found. Characteristics such as size, configuration of any dams, and presence of vegetation would all be important factors in determining the best course of action in any particular waterway.

Additionally, the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries' Snakehead Fish Incident Management Team, which includes members of fisheries, wildlife diversity, law enforcement, and public information programs, was formed to coordinate all aspects of Virginia's response to this issue. Members of the team consult regularly with national experts and other agencies/organizations to determine the full extent and implications of the situation.

The Department has membership on the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Snakehead Control and Management Plan (SCMP) Work Group. This group assembled and submitted recommendations to the U. S. Congress.

What kind of impact could a snakehead population have in Virginia?

Exotic species like snakeheads disrupt natural aquatic systems and have significant impacts by feeding on and competing with native fishes. In addition, they may transmit parasites and diseases to native wildlife in those systems.

Do we have to be concerned about snakehead fish appearing in the James River, Rappahannock River, or other waters in Virginia?

It is important to remember that all snakehead species are freshwater fish. This means that they cannot tolerate the saltwater of the Chesapeake Bay or lower tidal sections of rivers like the Potomac, Rappahannock, James, or other rivers. Therefore, any snakehead fish in the Potomac River cannot move below approximately the Rt. 301 bridge because the water becomes too salty at that point. If snakehead fish are found in other river systems, it will be because they've been dumped there.

Are snakehead fish dangerous?

Northern snakehead fish are not known to attack humans. Nonetheless, these animals present considerable threats to our native wildlife and ecosystems, since they have no natural predators in our waters.

The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries wants anglers to be aware of the identifying features of the species they are catching and to report any unusual fish caught. Call the Department's in-state toll-free number, 1-800-770-4951. Anyone who still has a snakehead fish needs to contact the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries immediately and SHOULD NOT to release it into the wild. Call the toll-free number, 1-800-770-4951, and VDGIF will assist in the proper disposal of the fish.

For additional information:

See:

  • Odenkirk, J. and S. Owens. 2007. Expansion of a northern snakehead population in the Potomac River system. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 136:1633-1639.
  • Odenkirk, J. and S. Owens. 2005. Northern Snakeheads in the tidal Potomac River system. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 134: 1605-1609.

Available online from www.fisheries.org.

Updated 3/27/2008