According to IFL Science, in the 1950s, fishermen in the western United States were introduced to a fish species originating from the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico for food. After the fish was introduced to the country, people raised them in the river system along the Atlantic coast.
However, more than 70 years later, in 2023, the governor of Maryland had to call on the state government to declare this fish a fishing disaster in the Chesapeake Bay waterways. So what is this fish? Why do they give US authorities such a "headache"?
The fish we are talking about is the flathead catfish. Scientists are assessing that they are on track to become the top predator in American waterways for a number of reasons.
First, let's learn about the flathead catfish. The flathead catfish (scientific name: Pylodictis olivaris) is a species of catfish belonging to the genus Pylodictis in the freshwater fish group of the United States.
The flathead catfish is considered a fishing disaster in the Chesapeake Bay waterways. (Photo: Pinterest)
Flathead catfish are also considered "river monsters" because fishermen once caught the heaviest individual weighing up to 56kg and measuring more than 1.55m long.
Starting in summer, flathead catfish dig burrows to make nests. They usually dig burrows in river banks, flooded areas, under fallen trees, in rock crevices, and in mud puddles. The breeding season lasts from mid-summer to mid-spring, when the water temperature rises to 21 degrees Celsius. They lay eggs in the nest and protect them. Once they have laid eggs, they will not leave the nest, but will protect the eggs. When their living space is disturbed, this giant fish will be very aggressive towards intruders.
Flathead catfish prefer to live alone, so they are harder to catch than other catfish. Flathead catfish usually hunt by ambush at night. They hide and wait for prey to pass by so they can attack.
The reason flathead catfish are considered a widespread invasive species in American rivers is due to two factors.
First, flathead catfish are voracious eaters. When they are introduced into the Atlantic coastal waterways, they will eat just about any animal that scientists are trying to conserve. “Flathead catfish will be one of the top predators in any system where they establish a population,” says Joel Fleming, a biologist with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. “They will eat anything that fits in their mouth.”
Flathead catfish are also known as "river monsters" because fishermen once caught the heaviest individual weighing up to 56kg and measuring more than 1.55m long. (Photo: Pixabay)
In 2016, an American fisherman caught a flathead catfish trying to swallow its mate while the animal struggled to escape. According to scientists, flathead catfish have poor eyesight and tend to eat anything that moves. Therefore, flathead catfish are even willing to eat their own kind. When fishing for this fish, fishermen must use large baits such as carp weighing up to 2 kg.
Second, the large population of flathead catfish is due to their prolific breeding. Depending on their size, some females can lay up to 100,000 eggs per clutch. The males will guard these eggs until they hatch after a week or so. When the young reach 10cm in length, they will begin to eat live fish.
American scientists say that if left to grow freely, flathead catfish would only need 30 years to decimate native animals in river systems along the Atlantic coast. Therefore, they have warned authorities to encourage fishermen to report any flathead catfish they catch instead of releasing them back into the water to protect the native ecosystem.
*Source: IFL Science
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