Kill This Fish Immediately if Seen or Caught in Arkansas

There are a lot of great lakes and rivers in Arkansas to go fishing, but if you are out for the day fishing and you see this fish you are advised by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission to kill it immediately. 

The fish is called the Northern Snakehead Fish. According to the UA cooperative extension service and the AGFC,

Northern snakehead fish are an invasive species that have established in several tributaries of the Mississippi, White, and Arkansas Rivers in Eastern Arkansas.

 

These fish are originally from China and they are very aggressive predators and they are harmful to our local native fish and the AGFC is asking for you to kill these immediately and then report to them

These Northern Snakehead fish have a long cylindrical body with a flattened head and sharp teeth and can grow 1 to 3 feet. The name is creepy but there is another thing about the Snakehead fish that is creepy.

The Snakehead Fish can breathe air and can survive for up to three days on land in a moist environment and they can move a short distance on land by using their pectoral fins! They can also handle drought conditions by going dormant in mud. That's right, can you say creepy?

The AGFC is also asking you to kill the Asian carp too. This includes grass carp which is also referred to as silver, bighead, and black carp. These are also very invasive and are harmful to our native fish.

If you see either of these types of fish you are asked to kill them immediately and report your findings by email to reportans@agfc.ar.gov.

If you are not sure if you have found an Asian carp or Northern Snakehead, you can contact the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission for help in identifying the fish at (501) 223-6300 or (800) 354-4263.

These reports are important so authorities can track the spread of these invasive fish.

Also please be sure to report your findings. Having any of these dangerous fish Alive or Dead in your possession is illegal. You can find out more here and photos of the Asian Carp.

Check out the videos of the Snakehead fish and the Asian Carp invasion below.

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