(a) Authority. The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services shall regulate the production and sale of commercially raised freshwater fish and freshwater crustacean species. The Board of Agriculture shall promulgate rules for the registration of facilities for the production and sale of freshwater aquaculturally raised species. The Board may prescribe standards under which commercially reared fish may be transported, possessed, bought, and sold. The Department and Board of Agriculture authority shall be limited to commercially reared fish and shall not include authority over the wild fishery resource which is managed under the authority of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. The authority granted herein to regulate facilities licensed pursuant to this section does not authorize the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services or the Board of Agriculture to promulgate rules that (i) are inconsistent with rules adopted by any other State agency; or (ii) exempt such facilities from the rules adopted by any other State agency.
(b) Species subject to this section. The following species are exempt from special restrictions on introduction of exotic species promulgated by the Wildlife Resources Commission except to prevent disease. All other species are prohibited from propagation and production unless the applicant for the permit first obtains written permission from the Wildlife Resources Commission.
(1) Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus
(2) Redear Sunfish Lepomis microlophus
(3) Redbreast Sunfish Lepomis auritus
(4) Green Sunfish Lepomis cyanellus
(5) Any hybrids using above species of the genus Lepomis
(6) Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus
(7) White Crappie Pomoxis annularis
(8) Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides (northern strain)
(9) Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieui
(10) White Catfish Ictalurus catus
(11) Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus
(12) Golden Shiner Notemigonus crysoleucas
(13) Fathead Minnow Pimephales promelas
(14) Goldfish Carassius auratus
(15) Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss
(16) Brown Trout Salmo trutta
(17) Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis
(18) Common Carp Cyprinus carpio
(19) Crayfish Procambarus species
(c) Exceptions for Species Not Listed. - The following fish species that are not listed in subsection (b) of this section may be produced and sold as if they were listed in that subsection with the following restrictions:
(1) Hybrid striped bass. - Production, propagation, and holding facilities in the Neuse, Roanoke, or Tar/Pamlico River basins for the hybrid striped bass shall comply with additional escapement prevention measures prescribed by the Wildlife Resources Commission.
(2) Yellow perch. - A letter of approval from the Wildlife Resources Commission is required before the yellow perch, perca flavenscens, may be raised at a facility located west of Interstate Highway 77.
(d) Aquaculture Propagation and Production Facility License. The Board of Agriculture may, by rule, authorize and license the operation of fish hatcheries and production facilities for species of fish listed in subsection (b) of this section. The Board may prescribe standards of operation, qualifications of operators, and the conditions under which fish may be commercially reared, transported, possessed, bought, and sold. Aquaculture Propagation and Production Licenses issued by the Department shall be valid for a period of five years.
(e) Commercial Catchout Facility License.
(1) Commercial catchout facilities must be stocked exclusively with hatchery reared fish obtained from hatcheries approved by the Department to prevent the introduction of diseases. The Board of Agriculture may, by rule, prescribe standards of operation and conditions under which fish from such ponds may be taken, transported, possessed, bought, and sold.
(2) The Commercial Catchout Facility License shall be valid for a period of five years. A pond owner or operator licensed under this subsection shall be authorized to sell fish taken by fishermen from the pond to such fishermen. Fish sold at such facilities shall be limited to those fish covered under this section.
(3) The holder of the Catchout Facility License shall provide receipts to the purchasers of fish. The receipt shall describe the species, number, total weight, and the location of the catchout facility.
(4) No fish taken from a commercial catchout facility may be resold by the purchasing angler for any purpose.
(5) No fishing, special trout, or other license shall be required of anglers fishing in licensed commercial catchout facilities.
(f) Holding Pond/Tank Permit. All facilities holding live food or bait species for sale must obtain a Holding Pond/Tank Permit. Permits shall be valid for a period of two years and shall only authorize possession of fish specified in this section. All fish held live for sale shall be kept in accordance with rules promulgated by the Board of Agriculture. Possession of an Aquaculture Propagation and Production Facility or Commercial Catchout Facility License shall serve in lieu of a Holding Pond/Tank Permit for possession both on and off their facilities premises. No permit shall be required for holding lobsters for sale.
(g) Possession of species other than those listed in subsection (b) of this section or as authorized in writing by the Wildlife Resources Commission shall be a violation which shall result in the revocation of the Aquaculture Propagation and Production Facility or Commercial Catchout Facility License until such time that proper authorization is received from the Wildlife Resources Commission or the unauthorized species is removed from the facility. In the event of possession of unauthorized fish species, the Wildlife Resources Commission may take further regulatory action. The Department and the Wildlife Resources Commission shall have authority to enter the premises of such facilities to inspect for the possession of a species other than those authorized in subsection (b) of this section or authorized by written permission of the Wildlife Resources Commission.
(h) Nothing in this act shall apply to the aquarium or ornamental trade in fish. The Wildlife Resources Commission may by rule identify species for which possession in the State is prohibited. (1993, c. 18, s. 2; 1997-198, s. 1; 1997-261, ss. 73-76.)
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Last modified: March 23, 2014