When it comes to snakeheads — which, despite their name, are a species of fish — there's some bad news, and there's some good news.
The bad news is that populations of these highly invasive fish are booming. The good news? They're delicious.
The York Daily Record reported on the upswell in numbers, which is happening in Maryland and Pennsylvania on the Susquehanna River. This year, the number of snakeheads reported in Maryland was more than double what it's been since 2021, when they began their snakehead mitigation program.
This is concerning for officials because snakeheads are apex predators that eat everything they encounter, throwing entire aquatic ecosystems and food chains out of whack. They're so ravenous they could literally eat native species out of existence, the Daily Record reported.
Branson Williams of Maryland's Department of Natural Resources said: "There are a lot of reasons to be concerned by snakeheads."
Interestingly, one of the most effective methods of population control is also the most basic: simply remove the fish by hand. That's what the fish lift at Maryland's Conowingo Dam helps officials to do.
"The fish lift at Conowingo Dam is essentially a water-filled elevator that collects migrating [fish]," the DNR wrote in a press release. "When invasive fish enter the lift, technicians remove them by hand and send them out for beneficial use."
And one of the ways they are put to "beneficial use" is by serving as food, in an ironic twist that is truly delicious.
"They taste good," Williams told the Daily Record. "It's so mild that they say if you don't like fish, you'll like snakeheads."
Snakeheads have a mild, flaky taste not dissimilar to catfish, halibut, and similar whitefish species. Flavorwise, they do a great job absorbing the seasonings with which they're prepared, making them a highly versatile option in the kitchen.
This is an approach to invasive species management that is quickly gaining traction, as it serves the double benefit of reducing invasive fish populations while also providing a healthy food source for locals. During this migration season, the DNR harvested 13,000 pounds of snakehead at Conowingo alone; a portion of them was donated to local food banks as well as sent to a seafood wholesaler.
And if you're not interested in giving them a try, the Daily Record suggested they make a great garden fertilizer.
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