The Virginia Tech Chapter of the American Fisheries Society will host a seminar by Brett Coakley, fisheries biologist with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, entitled “Dealing with an exotic species introduction: the northern snakehead (Channa argus) past, present and future management in Maryland.” The seminar, which is free and open to the public, will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 5, in 317 Cheatham Hall on Virginia Tech's campus.

“Northern snakehead fish are an invasive species and at the top of the freshwater fish food chain. If a population were successfully established, it would disrupt the ecosystem by displacing native fish and competing for habitat,” said Jamie Roberts, fisheries researcher at the College of Natural Resources.

The College of Natural Resources at Virginia Tech consistently ranks among the top five programs of its kind in the nation. Faculty members stress both the technical and human elements of natural resources and instill in students a sense of stewardship and land-use ethics. Areas of studies include environmental resource management, fisheries and wildlife sciences, forestry, geospatial and environmental analysis, natural resource recreation, urban forestry, wood science and forest products, geography, and international development.

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