Invasive Northern Snakehead caught in South Kingstown pond

SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. — Rhode Island environmental officials are asking anglers to be on alert after an invasive Northern Snakehead was recently caught in Asa Pond in South Kingstown. At this time, officials say it is not known how the fish ended up in the pond, but they are encouraging anyone fishing in the Tri-Pond Park area to keep an eye out for additional sightings.

Native to Asia, the Northern Snakehead is a highly predatory freshwater fish that poses a threat to Rhode Island’s native fish populations. One of its most unusual characteristics is its ability to survive out of water for several hours by breathing air, allowing it to move between nearby bodies of water under certain conditions.

State regulations prohibit transporting or releasing live Northern Snakeheads in Rhode Island. Anyone who catches one should not release it back into the water. Instead, anglers are asked to humanely kill the fish and contact the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management’s Division of Fish & Wildlife so it can be collected. Officials also caution that the fish can bite, so it should be handled carefully.

Officials are continuing to monitor the situation as they work to determine whether additional snakeheads are present in the area.

Source: RIDEM Division of Fish and Wildlife