A fish species that has seen its population soar in Maryland has been put to good use thanks to a partnership involving the state wildlife department and a seafood wholesaler.
A water-filled elevator at Conowingo Dam helps transport migrating fish species to the upper Susquehanna River and their breeding grounds. Engineers have picked out invasive species and removed them from the water network, it says Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
According to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, which is involved in the partnership, more than 18,000 pounds of invasive fish were removed from Maryland waters between March and June 2024.
Most of the fish were northern snakeheads (also known as Chesapeake Channa), but flathead catfish and blue catfish were also taken.
The Maryland DNR observed that the snakeheads are particularly problematic, with more than twice as many removed from the pond than in other years since the program began in 2021.
The program is critical to the health of the local ecosystem, as the state Wildlife Department noted that all of these species “consume large amounts of native aquatic species and have few natural predators.”
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Removing creatures that can out-compete native fish for food, swimming space and oxygen can also be a huge benefit to the local community.
JJ McDonnell and Co., Inc. processed the caught fish and donated them to local food banks. Eating invasive species is becoming a popular control method, and lionfish is recommended as a tasty dinner option – if cooked properly.
Invasive plants are also on the menu. Eating kudzu, chicory and currants are examples of delicious ways to control the overgrowth of flora that can be harmful to native species.
“Invasive fish pose a significant threat to ecologically and economically important native species in Maryland,” Branson Williams saidInvasive Fishes Program Manager for Maryland’s DNR, in a statement. “The stocking effort at Conowingo Dam is an excellent example of how partnerships can enhance our ability to manage invasive fish and limit their spread.”
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