The aptly named snakehead, a fish native to China, was already starring in horror films when it was discovered in the Potomac River in 2004, says Bay Journal. Now the snakehead is firmly established in more than 60 miles of the river, but “their fearsome reputation has softened some, at least among recreational anglers who’ve found they’re fun to catch and not bad-tasting either.”
“It was set up to be the poster child for all invasives, because it had this fierce name and teeth,” said John Odenkirk, a fisheries biologist with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. The initial fears that the snakehead would consume and out-compete native fish have not come to pass. The fish has had little discernible impact on the rest of the food chain, at least so far.
“With its tasteful white meat — some anglers call it the ‘pork of the Potomac’ — and elusive ways in the water, the snakehead has become a popular fish to snag and eat,” said Bay Journal. “The programs that encouraged anglers to start catching them were successful, perhaps too much so. Residents who’ve fallen for the fish are often suspected of aiding its spread to new areas.