MDC confirms northern snakehead in Missouri’s Eleven Point River

Missouri has a confirmed northern snakehead in the Eleven Point. KTLO reported Oct. 2, 2026, that the Department of Conservation removed one from a Missouri tributary to the Eleven Point River in Oregon County. Invasive species ecologist Angela Sokolowski said it is the first confirmation in the Missouri portion of the river, and that the fish appear to be spreading from known populations downstream in Arkansas.

So far the species is confirmed in only two Missouri systems, the St. Francis and the Eleven Point, both tied to Arkansas waters. Sokolowski said there are no confirmed populations in other Missouri rivers, and that snakeheads compete with native fish and will likely prey on sport fish such as smallmouth bass. It is illegal to import, sell, purchase, or possess a northern snakehead in Missouri.

Do not release a live one. Snakeheads breathe air and can live for days out of water if the skin stays moist, including in a cooler. MDC says kill the fish by severing the head, gutting it, or sealing it in a plastic bag for the trash. Photograph it, note the spot, and report it. Snakeheads can be confused with native bowfin; the snakehead has a much longer anal fin. Do not throw it on the bank.

This is a The Gillnet news desk summary, not a reprint.

Source: KTLO — MDC officials confirm northern snakehead fish in Oregon County’s Eleven Point River (Oct. 2, 2026). Also: MDC — Northern snakehead.