Depending on where you live, catching or owning a snakehead fish can be illegal. Specifically, Alabama, California, Texas, Florida, Washington, and Virginia have banned the species altogether. In fact, many state governments encourage those who catch snakeheads to kill them and dispose of the body rather than throw them back alive. The reason is that snakeheads are actually an invasive species in North America. They were introduced to the continent by people looking to establish a breeding population. The problem is that they threaten to overrun natural populations and disrupt the local ecosystem.