You Must Kill This Type Of Fish If You Catch It In NH and MA

Did you know there is a type of fish you must kill in New England?

This is true. The fish is called snakehead.

The snakehead is not common in our area. However, it has been confirmed that they are in our region. The last snakehead caught in our area was in August 2021 in Canton, Massachusetts.

And yes, it is condemned to death (if you do).

Let’s talk about rude jokes. Snakehead fish have shiny and sharp teeth. They are common in other parts of the world, but globally, they are known as an invasive species.

Since these fish are not native to our area, there are no predators to stabilize them. They become apex predators in any body of water they find themselves in, but it gets worse.

THEY CAN SURVIVE ON LAND. Snakeheads are capable of wriggling toward the ground and can survive for up to four days, as long as they stay wet.

According to the website of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,

Anyone who catches a fish that can be identified as a snakehead should keep the fish, kill it, and report it to MassWildlife by emailing [email protected] or calling (508) 389-6300.

This is wild news to me. I’ve never heard of a fish you’re supposed to kill.

But where do these pesky fish come from if they are native to Africa and Asia?

PEOPLE.

Some people have snakehead fish in their personal aquariums. What often happens is that the fish grow larger than they expected, or start to prey on other fish in their aquarium.

So fish owners do what they think is right: release them into a larger body of water so they can “live free.”

To be clear, according to the Commonwealth’s website, this is totally illegal.

The bottom line is that these fish are not good for our area and water. If you see or catch one, take a picture, call it, and kill it.