Maryland to rename invasive Snakehead fish in hopes of getting more people to eat it

STEVENSVILLE, Md. - Would you eat something called a Snakehead? It doesn't sound too appetizing, but the state of Maryland is hoping more people will want to chow down on this invasive fish, so they’re giving it a new name thanks to recent legislation.

The Snakehead fish will soon be known as the Chesapeake Channa and restaurants like the Kentmorr Beach Bar and Grill want to put on their menus.

Roberto Palou and Chris Ganaginis share blood, they’re cousins, and today, shared a table at the Kentmorr Beach Bar and Grille in Stevensville, Maryland but they share different opinions when it comes to trying the Snakehead.

"Sounds venomous and scary," Palou said. 

But when asked if he would try the Chesapeake Channa, Palou was game. 

"Of course," he said. "If you say it that way!" 

Ganginis was already on board to try the invasive fish that Maryland is hoping to clear out of its waters. 

"Absolutely, 100% fry it up, throw it in a taco," Ganginis said. "Why not?"

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The Maryland Department of Natural Resources says the non-native Snakeheads grow quickly, breed a lot of offspring and are predators that are tough to kill.            

The state is urging fishermen to catch as many Snakeheads as possible to remove them from area waterways, saying there is no fishing limit on them.

The seeming intent of the name change legislation was to make the Snakehead more palatable on a menu as Chesapeake Channa, an ode to where it’s invasive and its scientific name. 

Bill Dougherty is the General Manager at Kentmorr. He says word has gotten out among customers that it’s a tasty fish, and other restaurants want it too.

He says demand is through the roof and while the supply exists, the fish is tough to catch, making it tough to fill that demand. Dougherty says he will keep asking his supplier.

"We’ve asked every week for the last four weeks," he said. 

And so it goes, a name change to make a problem fish more desirable while catching it and getting it to people who already love it is a challenge — a nuisance in more ways than one.

The name change doesn’t become official until October. Restaurants like this say they might still use the old name from time to time.