People are allowed to own catfish but why not the Walking Catfish?
Walking Catfish are elongated, scaleless with a huge mouth, very sharp spines and four pair of barbels. These fish are noted for their ability to breathe oxygen and travel overland up to half an hour at a time. They travel by pulling themselves over the ground by the use of their pectoral fins. With their ability to travel on land, they are quickly spreading out to adjacent bodies of water.
They are most commonly found in the Everglades and canals connected to the Everglades but are also found throughout Southern and Central Florida. In time, they will most likely be found anywhere in the state. Walking Catfish originated in South East Asia and are only found in Florida in the U.S. It is believed that someone dropped them into Florida waters from an aquaculture farm.
These fish are opportunistic feeders and eat everything in their way including small fish. Although Walking Catfish are mainly found in abundance in small ponds or swampy areas, they have stayed away from lakes and rivers. The first sighting was in 1967 in mid Florida and Southern Florida and these two colonies have since joined together to make one massive one. Early thoughts on this fish were that it would eliminate most of the local fish, but this has not yet been proven.
Because the spreading and reproduction of Walking Catfish is rapid, it is considered a demonstrated pest, with the potential to do severe ecological and economic harm. Numerous countries have blacklisted the Walking Catfish, including the United States. The Florida Fish and Wildlife and the U.S Government have put heavy fines on owing a Walking Catfish without a permit.
