From Ronnie Garrison,
Your Guide to Freshwater Fishing.
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Washington, D.C. - The Marina Operators Association of America (MOAA) and the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMAA), in partnership with state and federal agencies, will host the 2004 "Snakehead Roundup," a fishing tournament for the northern snakehead.

This first-ever event will take place from 8:30 am - 11:00 am on Friday, July 30, at both the Belle Haven Marina and Columbia Island Marina in Northern Virginia. Belle Haven Marina is located just south of Old Town Alexandria off the George Washington Memorial Parkway. Columbia Island Marina is adjacent to the 14th Street Bridge.

The northern snakehead, an invasive species native to China and Korea, first appeared locally two years ago in a Crofton, Maryland pond. Since the initial sighting, the discovery of snakeheads in the Potomac-nine have been caught in the past seven months-has raised concerns that the fish may be reproducing in the river. With no natural predators and the ability to produce 30,000 to 50,000 eggs in a single spawning, the snakehead has the potential to decimate native species, including game fish such as bass populations if it becomes established.

The public is invited to participate free of charge and to join distinguished invited guests including: Benjamin H. Grumbles, Acting Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, Dr. James Tate, Science Advisor to the Secretary of the Interior; Timothy R.E. Keeney, Deputy Assistant Secretary for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Lures will be provided free of charge, and participants are encouraged to bring their own boat (motorized or non-motorized), along with a rod and reel. In order to be eligible for prizes, participants must register on the MOAA website at www.moaa.com by July 27, 2004.

More information about this event can be found by calling Mari Lou Livingood, Director of Program Development with MOAA, at (202) 721-1630 or by emailing mlivingood@nmma.org.

MOAA and NMMA would like to thank the sponsors whose generosity has made this event possible: Brunswick Corporation, West Marine and BoatU.S., Bass Pro Shops for donating the event prizes; Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation for providing rods and reels, National Bass Guide Service for the boats as well as the American Sport Fishing Association, Pradco, Mann's Bait and Crème Lure Company for providing the complimentary lures.

see page 2 for info about MOAA>>>>>>>>>>>>