MISSOURI — The Missouri Department of Conservation is warning Missouri anglers and those near waterways to keep an eye out for an invasive snakehead fish not native to the U.S.
According to the MDC, the northern snakehead fish, also known as Channa argus, are long, predatory fish with a head that resembles that of a snake. Their body can grow up to three feet long with a python-like color and pattern.
The MDC said the fish is one of Missouri’s newest invasive species threats. The species is native to Asia and is known for being an aggressive predator and preying on native species while competing for resources.
The northern snakehead fish, unlike most fish, can breathe air and slither across land to return to water.
Anglers across Missouri are reminded that it is illegal to import, export, sell, purchase, or possess the northern snakehead fish and are asked to report any sightings. Anglers are also asked to kill the snakehead fish once sighted.
The MDC said the first recorded sighting of the species in Missouri was in a borrow ditch in the St. Francis River levees in southeastern Missouri in 2019.