Frozen Snakehead Fish
- Holt Hendershot
- Dec 1, 2025
- 5 min read
Updated: Feb 24
By Matthew Olean
Edited by Corey Cherenfant
15 April 2025
Frozen Snakehead (Channa)
Snakehead is a name used for many fish in the Channidae family, which includes more than 21 species found in Asia and tropical Africa, and now, Chesapeake Bay. These fish grow to about 33 inches long as adults and can weigh up to ten pounds on average. They have long, narrow bodies, small teeth, and spotted scales that look a bit like a leopard’s coat. One of the most unusual things about this species is that it can breathe both underwater and from the air, which means it can survive for several days out of the water.
Snakehead is especially popular in authentic Vietnamese cooking. Traditional recipes often call for grilling the fish over rice straw, baking it in a clay pot, or grilling it with peanuts and scallion oil. For American palates, its flavor and texture are similar to rockfish or mahi mahi, so cooks also use it in dishes like fried fish, ceviche, tacos, or fish cakes.
Far from Vietnam, snakehead have found their way into the local Chesapeake Bay ecosystem. Officially named Northern Snakehead, they are now a dangerously invasive species in the Bay. Evidence shows they are wreaking ecological harm in colonized habitats by reducing native fish abundance/biomass, shifting communities, and consuming significant prey biomass. These effects are seen in specific areas, such as the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, rather than Bay-wide. These fish survive well in temperatures between 32°F and 85°F, which makes them a threat to ecosystems across the United States and Canada. A 2025 Maryland DNR study replicated 2006–2007 surveys with 2018–2019 data. Of 22 resident species, 19 declined in relative abundance (some by 30–97%), altering community structure and biodiversity. Greatest drops were in preferred prey like white perch, sunfishes (bluegill, pumpkinseed), black crappie, and killifishes. These changes weren't explained by water-quality shifts, suggesting snakehead predation/competition. This shows how harmful snakehead can be to the Bay’s biodiversity.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) actively promotes the catching (and harvesting) of northern snakeheads to reduce their invasive impact on the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem. Key measures include regulatory changes, public education, incentives, events, and partnerships:
Regulatory Encouragement
No seasons, size limits, or creel (bag) limits — Anglers can target and harvest snakehead year-round with a valid Maryland fishing license. This removes barriers to removal.
Mandatory kill on harvest — If keeping the fish, it must be killed immediately (e.g., by removing the head, gutting, or gill arches). Live possession, transport, or importation is illegal under state and federal law (fines up to $2,500 per fish or $25,000 per incident).
Catch-and-release discouraged — DNR explicitly advises against releasing them alive, as they are invasive top predators harming native species like perch, sunfish, and bass.
Commercial options — Special licenses allow bowfishing or commercial harvest (e.g., for sale in some cases).
Name Change for Marketability
In April 2024 (via legislation), Maryland renamed the Northern Snakehead to "Chesapeake Channa", with DNR implementation starting January 1, 2025. The goal is to make the fish more appealing as table fare (e.g., for eating or selling) to boost harvest rates and control populations.
Incentives and Tagging Programs
Cash rewards via tagging — In partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, DNR has run multi-year programs (e.g., 2022–2024, with continuations noted) placing yellow/blue tags on hundreds of snakeheads in areas like the Gunpowder River, upper Bay tributaries, Potomac creeks, and Blackwater River. Harvested tagged fish earn $10 (yellow) or $200 (blue) gift cards upon reporting (with photo proof). This monitors movement while incentivizing removal.
Grants for removal — DNR offers grants (up to $5,000) to individuals/communities for effective invasive fish removal (including snakeheads/blue catfish), emphasizing sustained beneficial uses (e.g., food, fertilizer).
Public Outreach and Events
Fishing derbies and events — Free events like "Snakes on the Dundee" (e.g., held/rescheduled in June 2025 at Gunpowder State Park) educate on invasives, teach targeting/filleting/bowfishing, and encourage harvest. These often coincide with Free Fishing Days (no license needed).
Educational resources — DNR provides guides on identification, harvesting/filleting, targeting tips, and why to eat them (e.g., "Save the Bay: Eat Invasive!" campaigns). They highlight the fish's mild, firm white meat (comparable to rockfish or bass).
FishMaryland awards — Invasive species like Chesapeake Channa qualify for state recognition (e.g., awards for large catches), promoting targeted fishing.
These efforts aim to increase angler harvest (e.g., bowfishing, hook-and-line) as a primary control tool, since natural predators are limited and the species spreads rapidly.
In light of the information shared above, it seemed odd that in 2024, the ImportInfo database recorded four shipments of frozen snakehead arriving at the Port of Baltimore. Although originating in Vietnam, three of the four shipments voyaged to the Port of Baltimore from Taiwan, and the fourth shipment from Hong Kong. They were shipped in 22-pound boxes as whole fish or as steaks and stored in refrigerated containers with other frozen seafood. In total, 9,458 pounds, equal to 4.73 short tons, came through Baltimore's port that year. On average, about 788 pounds of snakehead arrived each month. CBS News reported that snakehead sells for about $16.99 per pound, which means the frozen fish imported through Baltimore in 2024 was worth roughly $160,691. The question that naturally arose was: "If the Chesapeake Bay is overburdened with snakehead, why is it being imported into the Port of Baltimore?"
As delicious as they are reported to be, Maryland's commercial fishermen don’t usually target snakehead. Even though harvesting them could help reduce the invasive population, current market factors make them less attractive. The biggest of those factors is the skyrocketing availability of an even bigger threat to the Chesapeake's environment, which many report tastes as good as snakehead: the blue catfish. Growing to a mature average weight of 50 lbs, blue catfish far outweigh snakehead that grow to a mature weight of about 10 lbs. After processing, a blue catfish can yield an average of 17-19 lbs of edible fish, whereas a snakehead yields a maximum of about 4-4.5 lbs. Given the fact that Chesapeake watermen (male and female alike) can only fish a given number of hours per day, they put those hours into harvesting the fish that provides the greatest number of marketable pounds per hour. That means snakeheads are frequently "left off the hook." The reduced volume of snakehead due to that market dynamic leads to higher prices. Consequently, importing frozen snakehead from other countries remains financially attractive compared to the price of locally caught northern snakehead. The result is that the Maryland Department of Natural Resources promotes the northern snakehead to local, non-commercial fishermen as a good game fish that puts up a good fight, while simultaneously marketing Chesapeake Channa to fish stores and restaurants alike.
