this is all good in theory, but as soon as someone "accidentally" something not native it gets bad quick. IMO better to just tell everyone not to do it than to tell people to actually use their brains. im sure all the animals released that have taken over were not released with bad intent, yet we have carp by the million, snakeheads, pythons and snails doing damage and costing millions in damage and control.
Do you have snakeheads in Hew Hampshire? I hadn't heard that!
Maryland started the "Northern Snakehead" legendary "Frankenfish" movement my friend.
You are being utterly disrespectful and totally rude as well as ignorant in the true sense of the word if you believe that we Maryland fish keepers had anything to do with the massive invasion of Snakeheads in the Potomac! Dude, at least come out to the Chesapeake for the annual Snakehead fishing tournament before spouting anymore of these ridiculous criminal allegations on we Maryland fish keepers.
If you are not so over-the-top ignorant, I am willing to educate you as to how the invasion occurred. Read on.
First and foremost, the area of the introduction is of heavily "East Asian" influence. The Northern Snakehead was legally sold in live (I mean no offense by the term, but this is what they were called in the day before political correctness) Oriental Supermarkets. People could go into the (I will refer to as the now politically correct term) "East Asian Supermarkets", and go up to the live fish displays and pick out their fish fresh to take home for cooking.
There were many species of "live fish" available for purchase through these markets. The Northern Snakehead was a top seller and a delicacy to the "East-Asian Southern Marylanders". The Northern Snakehead that they sold live were imported from "East Asia" and left little profit margin even though the demand for the fish was very high.
This lead to a dilemma for the "East Asian" food markets to meet the supply demand, and simultaneously increase the profitability of the high demand product. It was no time until the "idea" of raising the supply stock locally in Southern Maryland. They were refused permission by most of the locals to use their ponds for snakehead hatcheries. That did not stop this out of control freight train.
Click, Click BOOM. The discovery was made of the "snakehead population" in a Crofton pond where the owner had denied usage for breeding. So much for land owners wishes. The wonderful much respected local East-Asian business "folk" basically said upeth thoust to the entire population of Southern MD./ Washington, D.C. and totally infested our waters with their monsters purely for their profit.
At least try Mapquest before believing the lies bestowed upon you by officials of any state. Don't be naive enough to retard yourself into the delusion that Politicians are not exactly like these East Asian entrepreneurs in that they have an interest in money that can and does superseded any and all moral codes know to man.
Many of these markets are open till this day and strictly selling "legal" flora and fauna. Why would the D.C. or Maryland Government want to "hang the blame" on these tax paying business in their jurisdiction. If they did so, they would have to take actions, and close business, thereby losing money for the district/ state.
Why not blame aquarium owners in MD. and D.C. for releasing millions of Snakeheads into the Maryland/ D.C. water? It is just an extremely generalized "accusation" and requires the government to take no direct action against any citizen of the district/ state. No money is lost to the district/ state.
The Government did essentially "punish" the "East Asian" markets that sold these fish by outlawing the sale and enforcing the law! The "East Asians" can now go and catch an unlimited supply of Snakehead fish to eat for free, they just cannot "sell" them for profit anymore.
Map quest Crofton and Washington D.C.
Crofton is at least 17 miles from the Potomac. Wow do I have some hot beach front property to sell you if you bought the ole "Frankenfish" walked 17 miles to invade and overrun the mighty Potomac. The "scenic" Severn river is five miles from Crofton and I have yet to hear of any Snakehead catches in it.