Pond May Be Poisoned to Kill Chinese Snakeheads
MARYLAND
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A panel of scientists has recommended poisoning a Crofton pond that has become home to a breed of carnivorous Chinese fish to make sure the fish don’t escape and spread through Maryland’s waterways.
The 12-member panel agreed the state needs to take action to eradicate the northern snakehead, which grows to more than 3 feet long and feeds voraciously on other fish. Not doing anything would risk throwing the natural ecosystem out of kilter, they said.
The panel considered several ways to get rid of the fish, including removing them through trapping, netting and electroshock. However, those options would not ensure that every fish is killed.
The most effective measure, the group tentatively said, was to treat the pond with rotenone, which enters the fish through the gills and disrupts the flow of oxygen.
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