(FOX 5) – Wildlife officials say an invasive fish native to China was recently discovered in Georgia waters and warned area residents to “kill it immediately” due to the potential impact it can have on other animals native to the area.
In early October, a northern snakehead fish was reported by an angler catching fish in a pond located on private property in Gwinnett County, according to a post this week by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Described as a “long, thin fish, similar in appearance to the native bowfin,” officials say the northern snakehead can get up to 3 feet in length and can also breathe air — allowing them to survive on land and in low oxygenated systems.
The fish is native to the Yangtze River basin in China, but snakeheads have been reported in 14 states in the United States, officials said. “Invasive species are often introduced through unauthorized release,” the department wrote in a post warning of the fish. “In Georgia, it is unlawful to import, transport, sell, transfer, or possess any species of snakehead fish without a valid wild animal license.” READ MORE
