A nationwide campaign was launched last month in Sri Lanka to encourage the capture of excess fish predators and invasive species in the Deduru Oya reservoir. The Fisheries Ministry hosted a one-day competition with a cash prize for anglers to catch as many non-native fish as possible, specifically the giant snakehead and piranha, according to a report on Phys.org.
Over 1,000 anglers were instructed only to capture the invasive species. Ministry secretary Kolitha Kamal Jinadasa said, "In one day, we can remove a large number of fish from the natural environment, and then we can control their population," according to Phys.org.
Jinadasa said that the import, sale, and transportation of live invasive species has also been banned since the event. Species include the knife fish, alligator gar, redline giant snakehead, and piranha. If any local citizens already own some of these fish in their private aquariums, they have three months to register them with the authorities.
The event was considered a success, despite only 22 snakeheads weighing between 4.5 and nine pounds entering the competition. A recreational fisherman named N. A. V. Sandaruwan was named the winner and won 20,000 rupees, as well as a new rod and reel.
The campaign was launched as a quick solution to reduce the number of predators in freshwater ecosystems. The invasive species were overpowering other necessary, smaller native species and throwing them out of balance.
When ecosystems are in balance, we can reduce the possibility of species becoming endangered, and the food supply stays more consistent for everyone, from pollinators to humans.
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Similar actions have already been taken around the world, from switching to octopus farming to prevent overfishing in Spain, and utilizing rarely-hunted predators like green crabs as a featured menu item at a New York City restaurant.
Jinadasa is considering a tourism spinoff for this event to keep the campaign running in the future.
Dinesh Kumar, an angler from India, was part of the fishing competition but wasn't able to catch a snakehead. Per Phys.org, Kumar told AFP, "Some days you get one, some days you don't, but that's fishing."
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