Invasion
Invasion Description
1st Record: Philadelphia/PA/Schuyllkill River (USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Program 2014)
Geographic Extent
Delaware River- Pylodictis olivaris (Flathead Catfish) was first collected in the Blue Marsh reservoir, on the Schuyllkill River, 120 km upstream of Philadelphia PA. This catfish is now established in the Delaware River system (USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database 2002). Currently, this catfish has been collected from the mouth of Delaware & Raritan Canal at Lambertville NJ, above the head of tide at Trenton, to Philadelphia (Brown et al. 2005). The fish could have been introduced as a contaminant in a shipment of Ictalurus punctatus; (Channel Catfish), but illegal releases by fishermen are much more likely (Brown et al. 2005); Wilmington/DE/Brandywine Creek (9/3/2018, (USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database 2019)
Vectors
Level | Vector |
---|---|
Probable | Fisheries Accidental (not Oyster) |
Alternate | Fisheries Intentional |
Regional Impacts
Economic Impact | Fisheries | |
The states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware encourage or require fishers to kill Flathead Catish, and not release them alive. Websites indicate that this fish is a populat gamefish for its size and flavor. | ||