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    All About Snakehead

    Snakeheads are a diverse family of fish native to parts of China, Russia, and Korea.

    Northern Snakeheads first drew attention in the mid-Atlantic region in 2002 when a pair were discovered in a Maryland pond. They have been found in Florida, North Carolina, California and Massachusetts. They were first confirmed in Pennsylvania in July 2004 after an angler caught and preserved two from the 17-acre Meadow Lake in Philadelphia County. PFBC biologists confirmed they were indeed Northern Snakeheads and captured additional ones from the lake. The lake is part of a maze of interconnected embayments and tidal sloughs and the Commission believes additional Snakeheads are present elsewhere in the system, including the nearby lower Schuylkill and Delaware rivers, and most recently found in the Lower Susquehanna River in the Conowingo Reservoir.

    Northern Snakeheads are a predatory fish and will compete with other fish species for forage and habitat.

    Read more from our August 2023 Press Release advising anglers to report and dispose of any fish caught.

    Identification

    All Snakeheads are distinguished by their torpedo shaped body, long dorsal and anal fins without spines, and toothed jaws. Northern Snakeheads are typically distinguished by a flattened, pointy head with long lower jaws.

    An image of a snakehead, bowfin and burbot to show the difference in how to identify each species. Identifying Snakehead

    Northern Snakeheads can be confused with native Pennsylvania species like the Bowfin and Burbot.

    One way of identifying Bowfin from Snakeheads is to view the tops of their heads. Bowfin have no scales on their head; Snakeheads have scales on their head with a scale pattern that is more interlocked or mosaic-like in its pattern—similar to a snake.

    Burbots have a single barbel (whisker) on the chin and the presence of two dorsal fins. Neither Bowfin or Snakeheads have these characteristics.

    Illustration of a Bowfin fish bowfin

    Bowfin

    Bowfin are most commonly found in Lake Erie and western Pennsylvania waters, but are infrequently caught by anglers in the Delaware River and Estuary, and Schuylkill River.

    Illustration of a Burbot fish Burbot

    Burbot

    The only Pennsylvania populations of Burbot occur in Lake Erie and the Allegheny River headwaters. Even though Burbot are found in several streams in the Allegheny River watershed, they are rarely abundant at any given location.

    Burbot are listed as an "endangered species" for inland waters, which means if caught in these waters they must be immediately returned to the water unharmed. The catching, taking, killing, possessing, importing to or exporting from Pennsylvania, selling, offering for sale or purchasing of any individual of these species, alive or dead, or any part thereof is prohibited. Burbot are not endangered in Lake Erie and can be harvested - see Lake Erie regulations for details.

    Fishing Regulations

    • It is unlawful for a person to sell, purchase, offer for sale or barter live Snakehead species in Pennsylvania.
    • It is unlawful to possess live Snakehead species in Pennsylvania.
    • It is unlawful to introduce or import live Snakehead species into Pennsylvania waters.
    • Transportation of live Snakehead species in or through Pennsylvania is prohibited.

    If you catch one...

    Anglers catching Snakeheads should dispose of them properly. Anglers suspecting they have caught a Snakehead are encouraged to NOT release it, and report it to the Commission at 814-359-5163 or complete this form.