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Maryland Department of Natural Resources
DNR and Bass Pro Renew Partnership
To Provide Rewards For Anglers Catching Snakeheads
HANOVER — For the second year in a row, Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be partnering on a reward effort for the successful catch of a northern snakehead fish.

Although DNR and other conservation agencies continue to sample waters for additional northern snakehead fish, all parties involved are also relying on recreational anglers and commercial waterman to catch snakeheads in order to assess the number of fish and the corresponding threat. In 2004 alone, 20 northern snakehead fish were pulled from the Potomac River.

In an effort to encourage recreational anglers to continue to catch these fish, Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World will again be offering a 'Snakehead Reward' Gift Card in exchange for any northern snakehead caught in Maryland waters or waters of the Potomac watershed. The fish must be caught on hook and line with legal fishing methods by a licensed angler and be reported and returned to DNR or another resource management agency.

Anglers are asked NOT TO RELEASE a northern snakehead fish, but to kill it humanely with a blow to the head and to get it on ice as quickly as possible. Anglers should report their catches to authorities immediately.

If the fish is caught in Maryland, anglers are asked to call DNR at 410-260-8320, or toll-free at 1-877-520-8DNR, ext. 8320. Anglers may also call U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 410-573-4506 for more information.

The 'Snakehead Reward' Program runs from March 1 through Oct. 31, 2005. Bass Pro Shops 'Snakehead Reward' Gift Card amounts are as follows:

In addition, successful anglers will receive a 'Snakehead Wrangler' cap from the Maryland DNR Fisheries Service. Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World is located at Arundel Mills, just off Maryland Route 100.

To view a fact sheet with a photograph of a northern snakehead fish and illustrations of similar-looking native species that are often confused with snakehead fish, anglers are encouraged to visit the following Web sites:

February 24, 2005

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 446,000 acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 11 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov