Due to the interest in collecting natives and the wide range of laws in various states I decided to post here the links to the various state DNR sites. Though these laws and regulations have more to do with fishermen and not hobbyists many of them also apply to collecting natives for aquaria. Particularly those pertaining to baitfish. Through these sites you should also be able to contact your DNR for any specific questions you may have. It’s important that before collecting for whatever reason that you make yourself familiar with your state’s specific rules and stay up to date with them. If you have any questions feel free to post them here.
Also with these I am posting state or regional guides/lists that should help you get familiar with the fishes in your area. Fish guide/list websites don’t exist for every state but should you find one for a state that does not have one listed let me know and I will put it up. Both the U.S. and Canada are included here.
In addition to these, two great sites that may be of use are www.fishbase.org and http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/index.htm. With fishbase you can look up information on over 25,000 species of fish. With natureserve you can read up on fishes and even find lists of fishes native to your own watershed.
The United States
Alabama
http://www.outdooralabama.com/fishing/
http://www.outdooralabama.com/fishing/freshwater/fish/
Alaska
http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/statewide/reghome.cfm
http://www.fisheries.ubc.ca/Projects/PWSound/AlaskaEco/Fishes.html
Arizona
http://www.azgfd.gov/h_f/fishing.shtml
Arkansas
http://www.agfc.com/rules-regulations/fishing-regulations.aspx
http://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/6521
California
http://www.fgc.ca.gov/html/regs.html
Colorado
http://wildlife.state.co.us/Fishing/
http://taurus.cnr.colostate.edu/projects/cofishguide/index.cfm?step=literature
Connecticut
http://www.ct.gov/dep/site/default.asp
http://www.bio.umass.edu/biology/conn.river/fish.html
Delaware
http://www.fw.delaware.gov/Fisheries/FishingInfo.htm
Florida
http://www.floridasportsman.com/regs/
http://myfwc.com/fishing/Fishes/index.html
Georgia
http://georgiawildlife.dnr.state.ga.us/content/displaynavigation.asp?TopCategory=13
Hawaii
http://www.hawaii.gov/dlnr/dar/fish_regs/
http://fish.mongabay.com/data/Hawaii.htm
Idaho
http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/fish/
Illinois
http://dnr.state.il.us/fish/digest/
http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/cbd/ilspecies/fishsplist.html
Indiana
http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/fish/fishng...ng/fishgide.htm
Iowa
http://www.iowadnr.com/fish/index.html
http://maps.gis.iastate.edu/iris/fishatlas/
Kansas
http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us/news/fishing
Kentucky
http://www.kdfwr.state.ky.us/Navigation.asp?cid=101
Louisiana
http://www.wlf.state.la.us/fishing/recreational/freshwater/regulations/
Maine
http://www.maine.gov/ifw/fishing/
http://www.maine.gov/ifw/fishing/fishidentification/
Maryland
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/regulations/regindex.html
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/mdfishes.asp
Massachusetts
http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/dfwrec.htm#FISH
http://www.mcz.harvard.edu/Departments/Fish/ma_fish/ma_fam.htm
Michigan
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10364---,00.html
http://www.dnr.state.mi.us/PUBLICATIONS/PDFS/fishing/names_of_MIfishes.pdf
Mississippi
http://www.mdwfp.com/level1/fishing.asp
http://www.interaktv.com/MS/Fishes.html
Minnesota
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/regulations/fishing/index.html
http://www.gen.umn.edu/research/fish/fishes/
Missouri
http://www.mdc.mo.gov/fish/
http://mdc.mo.gov/documents/fish/2_010.PDF
Montana
http://fwp.mt.gov/fishing/default.html
http://fwp.mt.gov/wildthings/brochure_fish.html
Nebraska
http://www.ngpc.state.ne.us/fishing/guides/fishguide/fishguide.asp
http://www.ngpc.state.ne.us/fishing/guides/fishid/findfish.asp
Nevada
http://www.ndow.org/fish/index.shtm
http://heritage.nv.gov/lists/fishes.html
New Hampshire
http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Fishing/fishing.htm
New Jersey
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/fishing.htm
http://www.njscuba.net/biology/misc_ov_fishes.html
New Mexico
http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/recreation/fishing/
New York
http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/recfshl4.html
http://fish.dnr.cornell.edu/nyfish/fish.html
North Carolina
http://www.wildlife.state.nc.us/fs_index_03_fishing.htm
North Dakota
http://gf.nd.gov/fishing/
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/fish/ndfishes/index.htm
Ohio
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/Fishing/default.htm
http://www.bgsu.edu/departments/biology/facilities/aqu_ecol/fish identification/foh/FishOhio.htm
Oklahoma
http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/fishregs2.htm
http://www.sdafs.org/okafs/Fishes of Oklahoma.htm
Oregon
http://www.dfw.state.or.us/fish/
Pennsylvania
http://www.fish.state.pa.us/bookfish.htm
http://www.fish.state.pa.us/pafish/fishhtms/chapindx.htm
Rhode Island
http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/bnatres/fishwild/index.htm
South Carolina
http://www.dnr.sc.gov/fish.html
http://people.clemson.edu/~jwfoltz/SCFISH/SCKEY/sckey.htm
South Dakota
http://www.sdgfp.info/Wildlife/fishing/Index.htm
http://www.sdgfp.info/Wildlife/Education/CommonFishes.htm
Tennessee
http://www.state.tn.us/twra/fish/fishmain.html
http://www.tnfish.org/PhotoGalleryFish_TWRA/FishPhotoGallery_TWRA/TWRAFishPhotoGallery.htm
Texas
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/annual/fish/
http://www.utexas.edu/tmm/tnhc/fish/na/txindex.html
Utah
http://www.utah.com/fish/
http://water.usu.edu/utahfish/
Vermont
http://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/fish_sportfish.cfm
Virginia
http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/fishing/
http://www.cnr.vt.edu/efish/
Washington
http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish-sh.htm
http://www.ups.edu/x5669.xml
West Virginia
http://www.wvdnr.gov/fishing/fishing.shtm
http://www.wvdnr.gov/Fishing/sport_fish.asp
Wisconsin
http://dnr.wi.gov/fish/
http://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/greatlakesfish/becker.html
Wyoming
http://gf.state.wy.us/fish/fishing/index.asp
http://taurus.cnr.colostate.edu/projects/cofishguide/index.cfm?step=literature
Canada
Alberta
http://www.fishalberta.com/
http://www.2learn.ca/Alberta/projects/pond/Fish.html
Manitoba
http://www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/fish/
Newfoundland and Labrador
http://www.labrador-fishing.com/fishing_regulations.html
Nova Scotia
http://www.gov.ns.ca/nsaf/sportfishing/
Québec
http://www.mrnf.gouv.qc.ca/english/publications/online/wildlife/fishing-regulations/
http://redpath-museum.mcgill.ca/Qbp/fish/fish-e.html
Yukon
http://www.environmentyukon.gov.yk.ca/yukonfishing/regulations.html
British Columbia
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/
http://www.zoology.ubc.ca/~keeley/
New Brunswick
http://www.gnb.ca/0254/index-e.asp
http://www.unb.ca/fredericton/science/biology/Fish_key/fish welcome.htm
Northwest Territories
http://www.nwtwildlife.com/fishing/
http://www.iti.gov.nt.ca/parks/education/f_j/fish.htm
Nunavut
http://www.gov.nu.ca/Nunavut/English/departments/DSD/fishsum.pdf
Prince Edward Island
http://www.gov.pe.ca/enveng/cam-info/index.php3
Saskatchewan
http://www.se.gov.sk.ca/fishwild/
http://www.usask.ca/biology/skabugs/fishsk/fish.htm
Also with these I am posting state or regional guides/lists that should help you get familiar with the fishes in your area. Fish guide/list websites don’t exist for every state but should you find one for a state that does not have one listed let me know and I will put it up. Both the U.S. and Canada are included here.
In addition to these, two great sites that may be of use are www.fishbase.org and http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/index.htm. With fishbase you can look up information on over 25,000 species of fish. With natureserve you can read up on fishes and even find lists of fishes native to your own watershed.
The United States
Alabama
http://www.outdooralabama.com/fishing/
http://www.outdooralabama.com/fishing/freshwater/fish/
Alaska
http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/statewide/reghome.cfm
http://www.fisheries.ubc.ca/Projects/PWSound/AlaskaEco/Fishes.html
Arizona
http://www.azgfd.gov/h_f/fishing.shtml
Arkansas
http://www.agfc.com/rules-regulations/fishing-regulations.aspx
http://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/6521
California
http://www.fgc.ca.gov/html/regs.html
Colorado
http://wildlife.state.co.us/Fishing/
http://taurus.cnr.colostate.edu/projects/cofishguide/index.cfm?step=literature
Connecticut
http://www.ct.gov/dep/site/default.asp
http://www.bio.umass.edu/biology/conn.river/fish.html
Delaware
http://www.fw.delaware.gov/Fisheries/FishingInfo.htm
Florida
http://www.floridasportsman.com/regs/
http://myfwc.com/fishing/Fishes/index.html
Georgia
http://georgiawildlife.dnr.state.ga.us/content/displaynavigation.asp?TopCategory=13
Hawaii
http://www.hawaii.gov/dlnr/dar/fish_regs/
http://fish.mongabay.com/data/Hawaii.htm
Idaho
http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/fish/
Illinois
http://dnr.state.il.us/fish/digest/
http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/cbd/ilspecies/fishsplist.html
Indiana
http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/fish/fishng...ng/fishgide.htm
Iowa
http://www.iowadnr.com/fish/index.html
http://maps.gis.iastate.edu/iris/fishatlas/
Kansas
http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us/news/fishing
Kentucky
http://www.kdfwr.state.ky.us/Navigation.asp?cid=101
Louisiana
http://www.wlf.state.la.us/fishing/recreational/freshwater/regulations/
Maine
http://www.maine.gov/ifw/fishing/
http://www.maine.gov/ifw/fishing/fishidentification/
Maryland
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/regulations/regindex.html
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/mdfishes.asp
Massachusetts
http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/dfwrec.htm#FISH
http://www.mcz.harvard.edu/Departments/Fish/ma_fish/ma_fam.htm
Michigan
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10364---,00.html
http://www.dnr.state.mi.us/PUBLICATIONS/PDFS/fishing/names_of_MIfishes.pdf
Mississippi
http://www.mdwfp.com/level1/fishing.asp
http://www.interaktv.com/MS/Fishes.html
Minnesota
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/regulations/fishing/index.html
http://www.gen.umn.edu/research/fish/fishes/
Missouri
http://www.mdc.mo.gov/fish/
http://mdc.mo.gov/documents/fish/2_010.PDF
Montana
http://fwp.mt.gov/fishing/default.html
http://fwp.mt.gov/wildthings/brochure_fish.html
Nebraska
http://www.ngpc.state.ne.us/fishing/guides/fishguide/fishguide.asp
http://www.ngpc.state.ne.us/fishing/guides/fishid/findfish.asp
Nevada
http://www.ndow.org/fish/index.shtm
http://heritage.nv.gov/lists/fishes.html
New Hampshire
http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Fishing/fishing.htm
New Jersey
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/fishing.htm
http://www.njscuba.net/biology/misc_ov_fishes.html
New Mexico
http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/recreation/fishing/
New York
http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/recfshl4.html
http://fish.dnr.cornell.edu/nyfish/fish.html
North Carolina
http://www.wildlife.state.nc.us/fs_index_03_fishing.htm
North Dakota
http://gf.nd.gov/fishing/
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/fish/ndfishes/index.htm
Ohio
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/Fishing/default.htm
http://www.bgsu.edu/departments/biology/facilities/aqu_ecol/fish identification/foh/FishOhio.htm
Oklahoma
http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/fishregs2.htm
http://www.sdafs.org/okafs/Fishes of Oklahoma.htm
Oregon
http://www.dfw.state.or.us/fish/
Pennsylvania
http://www.fish.state.pa.us/bookfish.htm
http://www.fish.state.pa.us/pafish/fishhtms/chapindx.htm
Rhode Island
http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/bnatres/fishwild/index.htm
South Carolina
http://www.dnr.sc.gov/fish.html
http://people.clemson.edu/~jwfoltz/SCFISH/SCKEY/sckey.htm
South Dakota
http://www.sdgfp.info/Wildlife/fishing/Index.htm
http://www.sdgfp.info/Wildlife/Education/CommonFishes.htm
Tennessee
http://www.state.tn.us/twra/fish/fishmain.html
http://www.tnfish.org/PhotoGalleryFish_TWRA/FishPhotoGallery_TWRA/TWRAFishPhotoGallery.htm
Texas
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/annual/fish/
http://www.utexas.edu/tmm/tnhc/fish/na/txindex.html
Utah
http://www.utah.com/fish/
http://water.usu.edu/utahfish/
Vermont
http://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/fish_sportfish.cfm
Virginia
http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/fishing/
http://www.cnr.vt.edu/efish/
Washington
http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish-sh.htm
http://www.ups.edu/x5669.xml
West Virginia
http://www.wvdnr.gov/fishing/fishing.shtm
http://www.wvdnr.gov/Fishing/sport_fish.asp
Wisconsin
http://dnr.wi.gov/fish/
http://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/greatlakesfish/becker.html
Wyoming
http://gf.state.wy.us/fish/fishing/index.asp
http://taurus.cnr.colostate.edu/projects/cofishguide/index.cfm?step=literature
Canada
Alberta
http://www.fishalberta.com/
http://www.2learn.ca/Alberta/projects/pond/Fish.html
Manitoba
http://www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/fish/
Newfoundland and Labrador
http://www.labrador-fishing.com/fishing_regulations.html
Nova Scotia
http://www.gov.ns.ca/nsaf/sportfishing/
Québec
http://www.mrnf.gouv.qc.ca/english/publications/online/wildlife/fishing-regulations/
http://redpath-museum.mcgill.ca/Qbp/fish/fish-e.html
Yukon
http://www.environmentyukon.gov.yk.ca/yukonfishing/regulations.html
British Columbia
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/
http://www.zoology.ubc.ca/~keeley/
New Brunswick
http://www.gnb.ca/0254/index-e.asp
http://www.unb.ca/fredericton/science/biology/Fish_key/fish welcome.htm
Northwest Territories
http://www.nwtwildlife.com/fishing/
http://www.iti.gov.nt.ca/parks/education/f_j/fish.htm
Nunavut
http://www.gov.nu.ca/Nunavut/English/departments/DSD/fishsum.pdf
Prince Edward Island
http://www.gov.pe.ca/enveng/cam-info/index.php3
Saskatchewan
http://www.se.gov.sk.ca/fishwild/
http://www.usask.ca/biology/skabugs/fishsk/fish.htm
