A St. Thomas man was fined $95,000 for illegal possession and handing of invasive species after conservation officers were tipped off in November 2024 that an aquatic pet store in Aylmer was selling snakehead fish.
During an investigation, officers learned that Freshwater Genetics Inc. was permanently closed and the fish, which were listed for sale online, had been transported to a home in St. Thomas. Five live snakehead were seized as a search warrant was executed, while two more were recovered from another home in St. Thomas, court heard.
Adam Manzato pleaded guilty to importing, possessing, transporting, and offering to sell Chinese and dwarf snakehead. The case was heard in provincial court in St. Thomas on Sept. 10, 2025.
Snakehead poses threat
Snakehead are highly adaptable and likely to thrive in Ontario waters, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources. With no natural enemies, they could spread throughout the Great Lakes watershed and seriously threaten native fish populations.
Snakehead, which can grow up to 85 centimetres long and weigh seven kilograms, can eat range of foods and live in varied conditions. This would allow it to compete with native fish for habitat and food including native zooplankton, fish and fish larvae, frogs and toads, invertebrates, insects, small reptiles, and even small birds and mammals.
Early detection key
Early detection and enforcement are key, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters Invading Species Awareness Program (ISAP) Advisor Brook Schryer said, pointing out that once established, eradication is extremely difficult, making prevention the strongest line of defence.
"The potential establishment of snakehead in the Great Lakes basin would pose serious ecological and economic threats," he said. "Ontario's fisheries support recreational, commercial, and cultural values that depend on healthy native fish communities.
While snakehead have become established in parts of the United States, Ontario does not have an established population. Strong regulations, enforcement, education and outreach, and public reporting are key to keeping it that way."
Fish look different
While similar to native species including bowfin and burbot, northern snakehead do differ in appearance. For example, they have enlarged scales on their head, while bowfin do not have scales on their head and burbot generally have no visible scales.
To learn more ways to identify invasive northern snakehead, visit:
https://www.ontario.ca/page/northern-snakehead
Anyone who believes they have encountered a snakehead should not release it and call the Invading Species Hotline at 1-800-563-7711 or report it online at: www.EDDMapS.org
To report a natural resource problem or provide information about an unsolved case, members of the public can call the ministry TIPS line toll free at 1-877-847-7667 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS.
For more information about unsolved cases, visit: ontario.ca/MNRTips