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Has anyone else out there been following this story out of Maryland about some Brain Donors introduction of the exotic Northern Snakehead from China into a Maryland pond?

This fish is extremely voracious and pretty much will eat anything smaller than itself. If that wasn't bad enough this fish has a primitive lung and can live out of water for a few days in addition to the amazing fact that it can "walk" on it's pectoral fins.

This presents a huge problem as you all can imagine.

The reason I post this is similar to the "What do we do with Arsonists" theme. What do we do with these idiotic morons ( :verymad: not enough bad words to describe them!) that introduce exotic species into our different habitats causing potentially millions of dollars in damages to fisheries and whatever else?

I'm pretty sure they know who released the fish originally and in my opinion these people should not only face stiff fines but potentially lots of jail time as well. Doing this is inexcusable, and should not be tolerated!

This issue is not unique to out east either, many Arizona streams have been invaded by Crawfish (Crawdad), an organism not native to Arizona and causing many problems for indigenous fish and other stream creatures. Unfortunately in this case it happened so long ago that it would be impossible to find or prove who did it.

The Arizona Fish and Game department encourages catching and removing these freshwater lobsters from any and all of our streams, so if you're out there and see them or ever get the hankerin' for a Crawdad bake, by all means go out and get them! I saw a ton of them in West Clear Creek, but didn't have the proper gear to get the goods.

Anyway, slight tangent there, and some food for thought.

Paul

If you want to talk about a real problem with non-native species in AZ - look into the damage that the good ol' Bullfrog is doing to native amphibian species. We are seriously looking at the eradication of the Leopard Frog (and other native species of small frog - as well as some salamanders) from all AZ raiparian areas if we can't find a way to control those big croakers.

Somebody let their pet go - that is the current theory of how they got introduced.

Pathetic.

They have a serious problem in Yellowstone Lake and River with Lake Trout that someone illegally introduced some years ago. They eat the young, native Cutthroat Trout; You're encouraged to fish the areas where the Lake Trout hang out and MUST kill any you catch.

Some mullettard introduced bass to Woods Canyon Lake some years ago. As the population increases, so does the risk of mullettard behavior. What can be done? If you outlaw mullettards you are subjecting yourselves to the same kind of restrictions. This, I believe, is what snick was refering to in the price we pay for freedom. All we can do is legislate for the best and hope we can inforce.

I'd like to know who first decided the Sonoran Desert would be a great place to plant olive trees!

I've seen crawfish in Cave Creek in the pools near the junction of the Cave Creek and Skunk Tank Trails.

kurthzone wrote:Some mullettard introduced bass to Woods Canyon Lake some years ago. As the population increases, so does the risk of mullettard behavior.

LOL ha ha ha. "Mullettard", that's a good one!

Mike wrote:I'd like to know who first decided the Sonoran Desert would be a great place to plant olive trees!

Yup. And Mulberry trees too. For about two weeks in the spring I'm pretty much incapacitated from the pollen these two rascals produce.

As far as the crawdads/crayfish/mud bugs go, AZ Game and Fish used to publish recipes on their site. They are durn good eatin' even if you have to go through about a dozen to get a mouthful.

-Nealz

nealz wrote:They are durn good eatin' even if you have to go through about a dozen to get a mouthful.
-Nealz

Maybe so, I might try 'em, long as I don't have to suck their heads!!! 8O

I had a friend who used to catch crawdads, put them in a plasitc bag, then smash them against a rock. 8O Brutal.

Mike wrote:

nealz wrote:They are durn good eatin' even if you have to go through about a dozen to get a mouthful.
-Nealz

Maybe so, I might try 'em, long as I don't have to suck their heads!!! 8O

Man - you haven't lived till you've had a true Louisiana Cradad Boil. Sucking the brains out and all - good gravy that's some tasty stuff.