2 replies to this topic

[Greenthumb]

I'm from Kansas and have recently became interested in keeping native fish after some Bluefin Killifish and Golden Topminnows showed up a couple of years ago (presumably from eggs) in a shipment of water plants at the greenhouse where I work.  So doing my due diligence I started reading up on the regulations about keeping Kansas native fish.

 

So from what I can find, it appears that its only legal to keep Bluegill and Green Sunfish?  And apparently its illegal to transport full live wells and bait buckets on public roads?  I can't even find anything about keeping natives in home aquariums.  I've sent an e-mail to the KDWPT but haven't gotten a response.  The parts of the law that state that you can catch threatened, or endangered species or species in need of conservation make sense.  And Its also illegal to buy, sell or trade native Kansas wildlife, although the law doesn't state whether this applies to wild caught individuals and their descendants or to all members of any species native to Kansas regardless of their origin.

 

I've read every possible regulation about fishing and fishing adjacent subject in Kansas that I could get my hands on and came away feeling like I knew less than when I started.  Until I have a better understanding to the regulations I think I'll stick to keeping native fish that never stray into Kansas.

 

If anybody here has a better grasp on these regulations than me then I would love to hear from you.  Thanks

[El Todd]

I find regulations tough to read myself - they don't make the laws with our purposes(keeping minnows etc. as pets) in mind so that probably contributes to much confusion.

 

From looking at the online fishing regulations( https://ksoutdoors.c...ing-Regulations) it looks like one thing you need to be concerned about is if wherever you are collecting from is an "aquatic nuisance water". 

 

Outside of that the item of concern are the rules about using baitfish outside the basin they were caught in. In your situation, I would look at the basin you are located in and collect from there if possible. To me It is clear that you cannot take baitfish caught in one basin and use them them to catch fish in a differrent basin. However, I am not sure if the rules are prohibiting possesion of baitfish outside the basin they were caught in for uses other than catching gamefish.

 

Simply put, from what I see, if you use the color coded map at https://geokansas.ku...nd-river-basins and catch fish within the basin you plan to house the fish from waters that are not considered "aquatic nuisance waters" and also do not have restrictions in addition to the state wide restrictions you are ok. Please note, however, that I am not a lawyer, so please do your own due diligence to make sure you are complying with the law.

[Greenthumb]

Thanks, I appreciate the help.