Striped eel catfish in Saipan lagoon not a threat

The presence of the striped eel catfish in the Saipan lagoon was first reported in 2005.

Since then no formal studies have been made to get more information about this particular marine species. That is, until D’amy Steward, a visiting National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration Hollings scholar and incoming senior at Duke University, did an intensive nine-week research on the striped eel catfish in the Saipan lagoon—their habits, ecological effects, and travel patterns.

“This is the first study conducted in the CNMI of the striped eel catfish. …The catfish are not aggressive and people have no need to be afraid of them. …They have been here since 2005 and, other than a couple of fishermen getting stung, they do not appear to be affecting the local ecosystems,” Steward said.

“There are certain areas that the catfish inhabit with limited home ranges, meaning they can consistently be found near the same structures…and these are not areas for concern. The public should not be concerned regarding the presence of these fish but they should avoid handling or trying to touch them,” Steward added.

She did acknowledge that the striped eel catfish is known as a venomous marine animal, but she was quick to clarify that the same can be said of a bee.

This fish, Steward said, is only a threat to people who try to handle them. “If someone were to handle the catfish and accidently get stung, go to the local emergency room for treatment. The fish venom is only fatal in extremely rare cases and should not be cause for concern as bee stings can also be fatal in rare cases.”

“This must be taken into consideration and people should not overreact, but it is still advised to get medical attention when stung by any marine organism. …The only real concern is for people who handle the fish because, similar to lionfish, when handling the catfish, one must be cautious to avoid the spines,” she added.

Saipan relies heavily on tourism, which includes marine recreational service and activities. Steward said this is not something that has been directly studied. “However, the catfish are not something that people should be concerned about. From my initial nine-week study, it appears the catfish have no impact on recreational activities or tourism,” she said.

“If anything, you have to get lucky to find them and watching their schooling behavior is a unique treat. …It took me six weeks and over 50 miles of coverage area until I found the first group of adults. The juveniles are more common, but still rare and if you see a school while walking along the beach, I think you will find they are quite beautiful to watch,” she added.

To date, NOAA does not have data regarding the seasonality of their movement. “Based on anecdotal information, they do not appear to move between islands and, this year, we only found them within the Saipan lagoon, which is a unique habitat to Saipan in all of the CNMI. We do have reports of these fish being observed in Laolao some years ago but have not received a report from any other beach areas or any of the other islands reporting their presence,” Steward said.

“Most people were curious how far the catfish moved…and what it meant to be venomous. We now understand just how cryptic the adults of this species are, we have a better idea of their habitat preferences and we were able to observe a lot of juvenile behavior. Fishermen have learned and will continue to learn how to properly handle the fish to avoid the spines,” Steward added. (Bea Cabrera)