The Chesapeake Channa, or snakehead, has developed a dedicated following in the sportfishing community–even though they’ve been an unwelcome addition to Maryland waterways. These invasive predators known primarily as snakeheads were coined Chesapeake Channa by the Maryland General Assembly in 2024. Whatever you call this fish, Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) fisheries biologists and avid anglers have seen populations of Channa in Maryland grow since their arrival in 2002. They have spread rapidly through the Potomac River watershed and established a strong presence in nearly every tributary of the Chesapeake Bay. Though they are considered a freshwater fish, Chesapeake Channa can tolerate moderate salinity and have been observed in the saltiest parts of the Chesapeake Bay, where rates range from 10% to 12%. Decreases in salinity from heavy rainfall and flooding increases dispersal of the species, enabling the fish to spread from rivermouths to the Bay’s mainstem, and into nearby rivers. One silver lining in the spread of Chesapeake Channa is its recreational value, along with its culinary reputation as a delicious whitefish with a consistency and taste similar to halibut. Anglers across Maryland have opportunities to target the invasive species from the lower reaches of the Eastern Shore […]
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