I'm not trying to argue that we need them established here...but I'm trying to educate people, based on current data collected, that they are not the ravenous eating machine projected to severely damage recreational sport fishery. They don't eat a significant amount of sportfish to create havoc...and projections are often wrong...especially extrapolation.
Their habitat and behaviour is so similar to Bowfin that native Bowfin population could be impact. I do not deny that. But how many Bowfins do you see all the time? Who targets Bowfin consistently? Who even cares about Bowfin?
I do...but many do not...many even despise them...
Some view the NATIVE Bowfin with the same eye...that we should kill ALL the Bowin because they eat "ALL the fish"...but do they? Or is that just again myths, misconception and overhype?
Should we kill ALL native sucker and redhorse species because some believe they eat "ALL the fish eggs"? Or is it the same myths, misconception and overhype?
I personally believe that Smallmouth Bass and Largemouth Bass introduced into some of these "barren" lakes are harming native population of minnows and suckers in those lakes. These lakes are not barren if they can support predator species. As such, the introduced and invasive bass are wrecking havoc on the native ecosystem. Bass are ravenous predators with huge mouths and big appetite...and with a lot of spawning success. There are enough reports out there on how bass severely damage trout population in some of the lakes. Not myths...facts...with scientific reports out there for all to read...but people have fantasies and fetishes about bass fishing. 
