The Retail Food Section of the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) has recently alerted the public that Giant Apple Snails have been discovered in sacks of live crawfish purchased for human consumption in Arkansas.According to the ADH, Giant Apple Snails are freshwater snails that feed on aquatic plants and are considered an invasive plant pest. The snails typically grow two to four inches tall and can reach the size of a baseball. Their shells are golden-yellow to dark brown, sometimes with dark branding and they lay bright pink egg masses above the water on vegetation and other objects.
If released into the wild, apple snails could harm native fish, wildlife habitats and Arkansas’s rice and aquaculture industries. Apple snails carry parasites, which can be transmitted to humans through consuming raw or uncooked snail meat and contaminated produce.
The Arkansas Department of Health recommends inspecting all bags of live crawfish for snails. If an apple snail is discovered, take a picture and report it immediately to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission at agfc.com/ans or call the Aquatic Nuisance Species Program Coordinator, Matt Horton, at 501-604-0485.
Dispose of snails by double-bagging them in a garbage bag, sealing them by tying or taping them closed, and placing the sealed bag in the freezer for at least 24 hours. Throw away the bag in a trash receptacle, and wash hands thoroughly with hot, soapy water if snails are handled.
Do not discard snails on the ground, in a ditch, pond, or other natural environment or keep them as pets.
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