Why is keeping native fish so regulated?

[ewurm]

You can keep a lot of reef species that are in danger but I can't transport one LMB fry that would probably be eaten any way from a lake that has so many bass you can fish with your eyes closed.

Dear Senator: Please pull your head out of your ass, stop spending all of my money, start passing laws that make sense, and stop bothering with the inconsequential.

 

[sandtiger]

Well as far as shipping them goes not all native fish are native to the entire U.S., it would be very easy to introduce species where they don't belong. On the flip side, most places stock non-native sports fish anyway. Also, game fish apperently are far to valuable to the fishing industry no matter how common they are.

 

[Harps]

People dumping fish in local waterbodies can harm the ecosystem beyond repair. If a fish is native to the area it is likely it can survive the seasons and possibly spawn in a place where they weren't previously. An if they were there, introducing a new fish may change the unique genetics that have developed in those isolated places.

otherwise, public waterbodies are managed for everybody to enjoy... taking from there would take that from everybody. If you did it what would stop everybody else?

 

[teleost]

You can keep a lot of reef species that are in danger but I can't transport one LMB fry that would probably be eaten any way from a lake that has so many bass you can fish with your eyes closed.

Dear Senator: Please pull your head out of your ass, stop spending all of my money, start passing laws that make sense, and stop bothering with the inconsequential.

I'm not sure I understand.

I'm pretty sure you can transport legally caught fish. Do you mean you can't legally catch small bass?

Many states have special low size limit areas for bass. The creel limit still exists in most cases as well as capture method.

I don't know of any state that allows you to keep bass caught with a net. Many states will allow you to keep 2" bass caught with a #18 hook and 2lb test line. Again you must stay within the law but if look closely and are willing to travel you get most fish you want within the law.

When you run out of options you always have native fish sellers and hatcheries.

 

[ewurm]

I'm not sure I understand.

I'm pretty sure you can transport legally caught fish. Do you mean you can't legally catch small bass?

Many states have special low size limit areas for bass. The creel limit still exists in most cases as well as capture method.

I don't know of any state that allows you to keep bass caught with a net. Many states will allow you to keep 2" bass caught with a #18 hook and 2lb test line. Again you must stay within the law but if look closely and are willing to travel you get most fish you want within the law.

When you run out of options you always have native fish sellers and hatcheries.

No, in MN you have to pay $90 for a permit to buy sell or transport live gamefish.

 

[teleost]

No, in MN you have to pay $90 for a permit to buy sell or transport live gamefish.

I see your point now. That does seem unusually resrictive. Sorry to hear.

 

[ewurm]

I can get these fish legally from a licensed dealer, but that is usually more expensive than paying for the permit...

 

[fishyC]

Well being in that particular field there are several reasons why it is illegal. I'll only name a few here do to my low attention span.lol

1) Gamefish and non-gamefish are valuable to somebody someplace so the industry is regulated to slow down black market selling and asscociated illegal activities. This being said possesion of so names species in most cases is limited to quantity and particuliar season. Though you may only want to keep them as a pet many more are using them for illigal perpouses*. So actually paying for a permit is a good thing which funds further conservation to ensure species protcection and good ol' government waist projects.

2)Non-native species are or can be extremely harmful to the native environment. True non-natives are released in ponds and lakes all over but these places normaly have to contact with a major water shed hence the introduced species will remain in the area they were planted. We all know how much the Feds research introduced species=p.

Ill leave it to those two but theres more. Another way of keeping native species is to contact your local native species protections association who take hard to find and endangered fish species and allow their members to grow them, and eventually release some so they maintain some kind of population. Highly recommend this, and these clubs often supply the perspective member with fish=) Hope some of this eases your mind.

 

[Gamefishin]

No, in MN you have to pay $90 for a permit to buy sell or transport live gamefish.

When you say you have to pay $90 to "BUY"........is that buying fish to stock a petshop or just buy to keep at home???

I have the answer but not sure what you ment.

 

[ewurm]

If you buy from a licensed store you don't have to buy a license. If you want to collect gamefish in any amount for an aquarium you have to buy a permit.