An 8-year-old boy went fishing in a Pennsylvania lake expecting to reel in a typical haul of local aquatic life. Instead, what emerged from the water had a mouth full of teeth and belonged thousands of miles from the quaint watering hole.
Seamus Coffey was fishing with his father, Michael Coffey, at Ridley Park Lake on Saturday, Aug 8, when he felt a tug on his fishing line. CBS News Philadelphia writes that Seamus and his father assumed he had managed to hook a bass.
Instead, Michael later shared that his son’s unusual catch ended up being a piranha. The fish’s identity was confirmed by Mike Parker, a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, speaking to 6ABC.
Dad shared the catch on social media, where the story drew national attention—and cast a bright spotlight on an issue that Pennsylvania wildlife officials want addressed: exotic pets released into waterways.
An 8-Year-Old-Boy Managed The Catch Of A Lifetime
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Once the fish was hooked, Michael instructed his son to reel the catch in slowly, so as not to lose it, writes KPIC, which also reports that Michael expected it to be a bass or a bluegill. According to the outlet, he said in a Facebook message, “He was reeling in a fish that wasn’t a normal fight.”
Seamus, the outlet reports, realized the truth soon after hooking the fish and exclaimed, “No, that’s a piranha!”
CBS News writes that the fish was estimated to be nine and a half inches long and weigh around two pounds.
This Unusual Catch Brings To Light A Bigger Issue
Piranhas are actually native to South America, making a Pennsylvania lake very far from home. Parker told 6ABC that officials believe the fish was most likely an exotic pet that somebody no longer wanted or could no longer care for, and so unlawfully released into the water.
Parker explained that exotic animals can become expensive and difficult to house as they grow, leading some owners to abandon them. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission warns that introducing non-native aquatic species can harm existing ecosystems.
CBS News reports that Michael said the family “ended up getting rid of it, humanely, and put it back for the snapping turtle that hangs out over near the rocks over there.” According to ABC News, Parker supported Michael’s decision to make it turtle food and said that the piranha would have posed a risk to the general public and the ecosystem.
Officials told both 6ABC and CBS Philadelphia that they believe this was an isolated incident, although anyone who spots or catches another unusual exotic fish is encouraged to contact the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.