News

Jul 09, 2023

Snakeheads making little invasives; water rising at Childrens Lake

An invasive Northern Snakehead collected last month in the Conowingo Pool, lower Susquehanna River. (PA Fish & Boat Commission photo) Needless to say, something is fishy this week. There is now strong

An invasive Northern Snakehead collected last month in the Conowingo Pool, lower Susquehanna River. (PA Fish & Boat Commission photo)

Needless to say, something is fishy this week.

There is now strong evidence that disgustingly invasive northern snakeheads are reproducing in the reservoir above the Conowingo Dam.

Damning news for sure for other aquatic life and be sure, snakeheads aren’t very far down river from the places we wade, and fish in.

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission said this week that it and partner natural resource agencies have been conducting surveillance monitoring for snakeheads in the lower Susquehanna River since May of 2020, when 21 fish passed the Conowingo Dam during fish lift operations for native migratory fish passage.

“Northern Snakeheads are voracious predators and may cause declines in important sport fisheries, such as bass and panfish, and may inhibit recovery efforts for species of conservation concern in the region such as American Shad and Chesapeake Logperch,” PFBC Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator Sean Hartzell said. “This is a critical time to protect the Susquehanna River from further expansion of invasive Northern Snakeheads by removing them to reduce adverse impacts.”

PFBC is reminding anglers to harvest or properly dispose of any Northern Snakeheads caught and report captures from Pennsylvania waters to the PFBC at the following link at fishandboat.com.

Possession, transport, and importation of live snakeheads is illegal in both Pennsylvania and Maryland, and violations of these regulations may incur legal consequences. In Pennsylvania and Maryland, Northern Snakeheads have no size or creel limits and may be taken by hook and line, as well as by bowfishing.

Taking and killing snakesheads is strongly suggested.

The PFBC says that because Northern Snakeheads are tough, air breathing fish which can survive outside of water for extended periods of time, it is recommended to kill them by removal of the head, removal of the gill arches, or removal of the internal organs.

Northern Snakeheads produce white meat fillets that are considered desirable table fare. Carcasses may also be disposed of appropriately in the trash or used as garden fertilizer.

The PFBC will also be posting signs at river access areas encouraging anglers to harvest and report Northern Snakeheads and providing instructions on how to distinguish them from similar looking species, such as Bowfin.

The PFBC is also collaborating with other resource agency members of the Susquehanna River Anadromous Fish Restoration Cooperative and hydropower facilities on strategies to prevent and control invasive fishes like the Northern Snakehead while also optimizing migratory fish passage on the Susquehanna River.

Northern Snakeheads are native to parts of China, Korea, and Russia. They were first reported in the Mid-Atlantic region in the early 2000s and have colonized waters in multiple states through unlawful introductions and dispersal among waters where no natural or artificial barriers occur. For more information on Northern Snakeheads in Pennsylvania, including an identification guide, visit fishandboat.com and the All-About-Fish section.

WATERS IS UP

AT CHILDRENS LAKE

There is good news in Bubblerville, as the refilling process has begun at Childrens Lake.

In June 2016, after a sinkhole appeared near Bucher Hill Road, seepage and structural deficiencies were discovered in the existing dam at the iconic Boiling Springs lake.

So began a nearly year-long, $5.2 million collaborative rehabilitation project.

The PFBC, South Middleton Township, private donors, and local residents combined efforts to fund the early design work, and in March 2018, Governor Tom Wolf authorized the release of $2.4 million in capital budget funds to advance the project. In June 2022, state legislators helped secure the release of additional capital funds, and groundbreaking on the construction project was held on September 2, 2022. The extensive rehabilitation project included the construction of a new dam, spillway, and retaining wall. Amenities added to the lake property include an upgraded boat launch and ADA fishing area that were funded through various grants.

“This project stands as a symbol of what can happen when the community comes together to support a common goal,” Rep. Torren Ecker (PA-193) said. “This gem of south-central Pennsylvania has been restored because of residents, community leaders, and state officials all working together so that future generations can enjoy this beautiful lake.”

“This is a long-awaited milestone in the process of bringing Childrens Lake back to the community and delivering something that is truly better than ever,” PFBC Executive Director Tim Schaeffer said.

Refilling of the lake is intentionally performed slowly to allow PFBC engineers to monitor the new concrete dam structures and retaining walls, which will be placed under a tremendous amount of pressure for the first time as water is introduced. Refilling the lake slowly also limits the amount of sediment that is stirred up within the lake and flows into downstream waterways.

Send your wild thoughts and photos to [email protected].

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