Here is a riddle for all fishermen. What fish can live on land for several days and travels? The answer is the Northern Snakehead.

People in Maryland know all too well about the Northern Snakehead. A native of the Orient and Africa, this alien fish recently came to American shores and was discovered by a Maryland fisherman in May. Since then, local state and federal officials have all been busy trying to eradicate this species from Maryland waters.

When the Maryland fisherman first caught this fish in May, he was unable to identify it and took pictures of the fish before he threw it back in the water. State biologists then identified the fish as the Northern Snakehead and since then, officials have been trying to develop a plan to eradicate the species.

There are actually "wanted" posters that have pictures of this fish on them. The posters advise fisherman to cut and bleed the fish if they catch it, specifically because they can live on the land for several days. And they actually travel on land as well.

Government officials believe that the fish was purchased in Washington, D.C.'s China town area. The fish is considered to be a food delicacy in Asia.

Here is the problem. The fish are not native to American waters and therefore have no natural predators. Therefore, they will eat the truly natural inhabitants of the water and nobody will be able to challenge them. Alien species are in ways a potential threat.

A Snakehead species was introduced in Uzbekistan in the 1960's and created horrible havoc on native fish populations. The fish is a meat eater. It can live in moist surroundings out of water areas for as much as three days.

And because it can propel itself on land with its tail fins, it is nicknamed a "walking fish." It appears that officials are working on a combined strategy relying on herbicides and poisons to kill this species. This of course might kill other animals as well but it appears as if officials feel that the benefits of getting rid of this invader species outweigh the harm to other local native species.

The dense aquatic vegetation that is contained within the host Maryland pond poses considerable obstacles to removing the fish. Apparently the fish could hide in the vegetation and therefore the government favors using a herbicide to first kill vegetation before poison is added to the waters.

An advisory panel established to eradicate the fish in Maryland reports that physical removal of the fish by nets, traps, as well as the introduction of other predators, and even the use of explosives, are considered to be unlikely to provide a 100% eradication of the fish. And a complete eradication is the only response that the government is willing to accept.

This is only the most recent example of alien species affecting and killing native species around the world.

Alien species, including plants and animals, have established themselves throughout the world as a result of human activity. They are considered a threat to the eco-system because once they are established; the alien species consume native species or compete with them for habitat, food or both.

Alien species are a very large problem that most people do not take seriously. But if you think it is not a problem, go to Maryland and see what residents now think. They will tell you that this is a very big problem.

The information provided in this column is written by Stuart Lieberman,a practicing environmental attorney, and is for general information purposes only. It is not legal advice and should not be used in place of legal advice.

Stuart Lieberman, Esq., and IRED.Com, Inc., will not accept any responsibilty for any reliance on the information in this column or any damages whatsoever resulting from reading this column.