Eating the Invasive “Frankenfish” to Stop Its Spread | National Geographic

[Music]

[Music] snakeheads are a pretty smart fish I

snakeheads are a pretty smart fish I

snakeheads are a pretty smart fish I think I’ve seen them where they’ll stir

think I’ve seen them where they’ll stir

think I’ve seen them where they’ll stir up mud and they’ll sit there and they

up mud and they’ll sit there and they

up mud and they’ll sit there and they won’t move they’ll stir up that mud to

won’t move they’ll stir up that mud to

won’t move they’ll stir up that mud to make a camouflage for their self but

make a camouflage for their self but

make a camouflage for their self but then they won’t make anymore mud so as

then they won’t make anymore mud so as

then they won’t make anymore mud so as the current washes the little mud cloud

the current washes the little mud cloud

the current washes the little mud cloud away they’re still sitting in the same

away they’re still sitting in the same

away they’re still sitting in the same spot some people call them Frankenfish

spot some people call them Frankenfish

spot some people call them Frankenfish some people think that they look like a

some people think that they look like a

some people think that they look like a snake that they’re ugly it’s easier to

snake that they’re ugly it’s easier to

snake that they’re ugly it’s easier to encourage harvest for a species with a

encourage harvest for a species with a

encourage harvest for a species with a bad reputation but I don’t think that

bad reputation but I don’t think that

bad reputation but I don’t think that allows us the right to do it without

allows us the right to do it without

allows us the right to do it without thought that’s part of our job is to not

thought that’s part of our job is to not

thought that’s part of our job is to not simply encourage people to harvest the

simply encourage people to harvest the

simply encourage people to harvest the animal but also to prevent invasive

animal but also to prevent invasive

animal but also to prevent invasive species from becoming introduced we as

species from becoming introduced we as

species from becoming introduced we as biologists we don’t have the manpower to

biologists we don’t have the manpower to

biologists we don’t have the manpower to reduce the population that much so we

reduce the population that much so we

reduce the population that much so we really need the help of anglers to do

really need the help of anglers to do

really need the help of anglers to do that this tournament advertises a

that this tournament advertises a

that this tournament advertises a control method that the department is is

control method that the department is is

control method that the department is is encouraging so we’re encouraging

encouraging so we’re encouraging

encouraging so we’re encouraging complete removal and harvest more

complete removal and harvest more

complete removal and harvest more importantly we’re encouraging

importantly we’re encouraging

importantly we’re encouraging consumption

it’s been about ten years since I’ve

it’s been about ten years since I’ve been in the Potomac River unfortunately

been in the Potomac River unfortunately

been in the Potomac River unfortunately they’ve pretty much traversed the river

they’ve pretty much traversed the river

they’ve pretty much traversed the river from Great Falls pretty much down to the

from Great Falls pretty much down to the

from Great Falls pretty much down to the mouth which is over 120 River miles we

mouth which is over 120 River miles we

mouth which is over 120 River miles we just don’t know the impacts of this

just don’t know the impacts of this

just don’t know the impacts of this thing but it’s a large freshwater fish

thing but it’s a large freshwater fish

thing but it’s a large freshwater fish one female can carry up to a hundred

one female can carry up to a hundred

one female can carry up to a hundred thousand eggs so they really have the

thousand eggs so they really have the

thousand eggs so they really have the chance to out-compete are the fish that

chance to out-compete are the fish that

chance to out-compete are the fish that are in the ecosystem now so that’s the

are in the ecosystem now so that’s the

are in the ecosystem now so that’s the main concern and that’s why it’s

main concern and that’s why it’s

main concern and that’s why it’s considered an invasive species