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Invasive Fish That Can Breathe Air Found In Georgia
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The invasive northern snakehead fish has made its first ever appearance in Georgia.
State wildlife officials are working to stop them from spreading.
GPB's Sophia Saliby reports on an invasive fish that has appeared in Georgia.
The snakehead is an Asian fish that can breathe air and move short distances out of water.
In early October, an angler caught a snakehead in a Gwinnett County pond.
When the Georgia Department of Natural Resources got to the pond, they discovered additional fish in a stream connected to it.
DNP Fisheries Operations Manager Scott Robinson said their primary concern is stopping the snakehead from spreading.
"It’s a long shot, but perhaps we’ll get them all, and they won’t become established," he said. "Then, we’ll continue to monitor that area and areas downstream."
The DNR believes the fish ended up in the pond after being dumped on the side of the road.
The state agency is asking anglers to immediately kill any snakeheads they catch, freeze them and then report them to their regional DNR office.
"We really hate to see it when non-native species that can impact our native fish are found in our waters," Robinson said.
Snakeheads have been found in 14 states across the country.
WATCH: A snakehead in its native habitat moves a short distance out of water.
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