2-Foot Vampire Fish Captured in Potomac River; Presence of Highly Invasive Species in the Area Is a Good Sign

An invasive species called vampire fish was spotted in the Potomac River, but it was reportedly a good sign.

Vampire Fish in Potomac River

A man from Alexandria caught a two-foot-long sea lamprey, also called a "vampire fish," in the Potomac River with his bare hands. He threw the eel-like creature onto dry land and checked on it. He couldn't believe what he saw.

In the footage uploaded on Instagram, the man claimed it was the first sea lamprey caught in the Potomac River. He said no one would believe him catching a lamprey from the river as he showed it on the camera.

Due to its pointed teeth and sucking mouth, the fish is known as a "vampire fish" as it can cling to its prey and feast on their bodily fluids for weeks at a time. Experts say that although the invasive fish is parasitic, the sighting in the Virginia River, where they are rarely seen, was reportedly a good sign.

The river has been polluted for decades. The arrival of the lamprey, as the critter is highly susceptible to poisons, may indicate that the pollution is finally starting to recede. This also suggests that the government agencies' efforts to clean up the long-standing pollution in the Potomac River have worked.

In 2002, its population in Potomac began to increase, which experts saw as promising for the river. Originally from the Atlantic Ocean, sea lampreys are an invasive species that entered the Great Lakes during the 1800s via artificial canals and cargo ports.

According to Jim Cummins, the Living Resources Section's associate director, the sea lamprey's resurgence is another sign that the water quality is improving. Sea lampreys are reportedly sensitive to pollution, and their thriving in the Potomac River suggests that the water quality has significantly improved.

Potomac River Pollution Revisited

The Potomac River was abundant with fish in the 1600s. George Washington established shad and striped bass fisheries in the 1700s. However, in 1810, the first sewer system in Washington was constructed, and waste was transported to the nearest stream.

As the population in Washington grows, so does the trash in the area. In 1894, the US Public Health Service (USPHS) announced that the river was so loaded with sediments that it was unfit for bathing, drinking, and cooking as it contained fecal bacilli.

In 1914, the District of Columbia sewer system delivered waste from 340,000 people to Potomac. However, USPHS said the river was still in "generally good condition" with "ample oxygen."

In 1932, untreated waste from a 575,000-person metropolitan area was spilled into the Potomac. Due to bacterial contamination, the river from Three Sisters Island to Fort Washington was closed for swimming. Fisheries were also at risk due to low dissolved oxygen levels between Geisboro Point and Fort Foote.

As the quality of the river's water deteriorated, more actions were taken to save it. In the 1960s, the Metropolitan Washington Regional Sanitary Advisory Board was established. The idea to divide DC's integrated stormwater and sanitary sewers was developed to remove pollutants from the North Branch Potomac. The Upper Potomac River Commission treatment plant at Westernport, Maryland, began operation. Government agencies have been working on improving water quality in the Potomac River for years.

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