Frequently Asked Questions--Northern Snakehead Information

On April 19, 2009, Gary Upton of McAdenville caught a 12-pound, 11-ounce northern snakehead (Channa argus) from the Paw Creek arm of Lake Wylie. In May 2007, a northern snakehead was caught—and released—back into the upper Catawba River arm of Lake Wylie by a fisherman who mistook the fish for a similar-looking bowfin. This fish was later identified from a photograph taken before the fish was released. In 2002, two northern snakehead were reportedly caught—and kept—from Lake Wylie, but these catches were never confirmed.

Catches of this highly predatory, invasive fish over the last couple of years are potentially bad news for the Lake Wylie fish community and Lake Wylie anglers.

Northern snakehead are native to eastern Asia and can cause undesirable impacts on native fishes in waters where they have been illegally introduced by competing for food and habitat, and through direct predation. An established snakehead population could reduce the abundance of popular resident game fishes, such as largemouth bass and crappie, by direct predation or indirectly by feeding on their prey base, and, thereby, affecting angler catch rates.

Also of concern is the snakehead’s ability to survive in waters with low dissolved oxygen and to travel across land. When looking for more suitable habitat, snakehead species have been known to leave poor quality waters and survive out of water for three to four days, under certain conditions, in search of other bodies of water.

The Commission has put together a list of frequently asked questions to help address public concerns about this illegally introduced fish.

Q: Is there a reproducing population of snakehead in Lake Wylie or the Catawba River?
A: We do not know if the two confirmed catches of northern snakehead in 2007 and 2009, as well as the two reported catches in 2002, are isolated individual northern snakehead or if they are reproducing in the lake. Thus, it is premature to speculate on the extent of the population within the system.

Q. What is the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission going to do about determining whether or not snakehead are in the Catawba River?
A. On April 21, biologists with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission began sampling Lake Wylie to look for additional adult snakehead and any evidence of reproduction. They will continue to assess the 13,443-acre lake, which borders North and South Carolina, in conjunction with biologists from Duke Energy and the S.C. Department of Natural Resources.

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is also requesting that anglers report the capture of fish they suspect to be snakehead. First, anglers should learn how to distinguish snakehead from the native bowfin (blackfish) by viewing the following link: (“Do You Know the Difference Between a Snakehead and a Bowfin?"). If you suspect that you have caught a snakehead, please keep the fish on ice or freeze it and call the Commission at (919) 707-0224.

Q: How can I tell the difference between a northern snakehead and a bowfin?
A: The bowfin is native to North Carolina and resembles a northern snakehead. But bowfin, which are also known as "blackfish" and "grindle," do not pose the same ecological danger as the snakehead because bowfin already are part of North Carolina's aquatic ecosystems.

The link above should help with bowfin and northern snakehead identification. The best way to distinguish them is to look at the anal fin, which is the bottom rear fin near the tail. The snakehead has a very long anal fin, which is more than half the length of the dorsal (top/back) fin, and has 18 rays which are the flexible structures within fins. The bowfin has a shorter anal fin, which is less than half the length of the dorsal fin, and has 12 rays.

Q. What will the Commission do if northern snakehead are found in the Catawba River?
A: The Commission will evaluate the location of each snakehead capture and determine whether or not it is possible, or feasible, to eradicate the population. However, like all introduced exotic species, working to prevent illegal species introductions is the optimum course of action.

Q. If northern snakehead are in Lake Wylie or the Catawba River, do they pose a threat to humans?
A. No. We know of no reports of a northern snakehead attacking people. However, another species of snakehead, the giant snakehead, are reported to act aggressively towards humans who have gotten too close to its young. It is important to note that the snakehead reportedly caught from Lake Wylie and the Catawba River were northern snakehead, not giant snakehead, which are a tropical species indigenous to Southeast Asia. The primary danger to humans would be not knowing what it is and encountering the teeth when trying to remove the hook. A much greater threat are the ecological consequences should it become established.

Q. Assuming northern snakehead are in Lake Wylie or the Catawba River, how did they get there?
A. Since 2004, it has been illegal to transport, purchase, possess or sell live snakehead in North Carolina. The two snakehead caught in May 2007 and April 2009 were most likely pets that had outgrown their aquaria and were released into the river. The two fish reportedly caught from Lake Wylie in 2002 were about the size of northern snakehead sold live in some fish markets and may have been released into Wylie after being purchased.

Q: What has the Commission done to help combat the introduction of illegal fish species in North Carolina’s public waters?
A: In 2004, the Commission banned the transport, possession and release of all snakehead species in North Carolina. To view other prohibited species, click here. To further minimize the potentially devastating impacts of exotic species on native fishes, the Commission passed a regulation in 2005 that required anyone who wanted to stock public water to first obtain a stocking permit. Click here for more information on stocking permits.

Q: What can the public do to help fight invasive species introductions?
A: Since preventing illegal introductions is much easier—and less expensive—than trying to eradicate non-native fishes once they’ve become established, the Commission asks anglers, hunters and outdoor enthusiasts not to transplant fish, game, nongame wildlife and plants. Exotic species of all types pose potentially significant environmental risks when introduced into new ecosystems.

Q: How can I tell the difference between a northern snakehead and a bowfin, which it resembles?
A: The bowfin is native to North Carolina and resembles a northern snakehead. But bowfin, which are also known as "blackfish" and "grindle," do not pose the same ecological danger as the snakehead because bowfin already are part of North Carolina's aquatic ecosystems.
The pictures below should help with bowfin and northern snakehead identification. The best way to distinguish between the two species is to look at the anal fin, which is the bottom rear fin near the tail. The snakehead has a very long anal fin, which is more than half the length of the dorsal (back) fin, and has 18 rays. The bowfin has a shorter anal fin, which is less than half the length of the dorsal fin, and has 12 rays.

The pictures below should help with bowfin and northern snakehead identification. A good distinguishing characteristic is the length of the anal fin (bottom fin) of these two fishes. While the bowfin has a short anal fin, the northern snakehead has a long anal fin.