😱 Something fishy's going on in Florida: Catfish spotted swimming in yards, sidewalks ahead of Hurricane Ian landfall _finchwalker byjensangalang
How did they end up there? Though the type of catfish wasn't confirmed Wednesday, it's possible they were walking catfish. These catfish, which breathe air and"walk" on their pectoral fins, are native to freshwater in Southeast Asia. However, they are found throughout Florida in swampy areas like the Everglades, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission. They are sometimes found in storm drainage systems, which they may emerge from during floods.
You might spot them using their pectoral fins to walk, or swimming through flood waters, like Dove Goldenberg, who recorded a TikTok video of a catfish swimming in a flooded yard in Palm Bay. Becky Blasch, a Merritt Island resident who lives off Grant Road, took to Facebook to ask if others had a"yard full of catfish," saying she had spotted more than 14 in her yard and even on her welcome mat.Initially from South Asia, the walking catfish's introduction to Florida is believed to be linked to an importation by an aquaculture facility in Palm Beach County or a truck transporting brood fish between Miami and Broward County, according to the Florida Museum.
It is illegal to possess and transport live walking catfish in Florida, FWC said, noting that fisherman should immediately put them on ice if they want to try eating them. AZ Animals reports they are considered a tasty fish in their native home and are"fairly safe" to eat.