Alleged fish smuggler in California

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iloveoscars702

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Dec 4, 2008
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pima arent illegal in cali, i checked the list and they arent listed. plus johnptc has pima in his tank.
 

littlefin

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Sep 12, 2010
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the piranha are illegal yes, not sure about the sting rays or the arapaima Califonia always keeps people from have cool stuff The fish were killed most likely or swimming around in some judge's tank
 

jworth

Jack Dempsey
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Sep 9, 2008
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to answer your question though, yes the article is real. A member of the US fish and wildlife commission came on here and posted the info and asked for help as well.
 

Lupin

Viviendo la vida loca!
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FW stingrays are illegal.

CALIFORNIA:

Prohibited fish species -- illegal to import, transport, or possess live specimens w/o a permit

(4) Class Agnatha - Jawless Fishes

(A) Family Petromyzontidae - Lampreys All nonnative species (D).

(5) Class Osteichthyes - Bony Fishes

(A) Family Percichthyidae - Temperate Basses

1. The species Morone americana (White perch) (D).

2. The species Morone chrysops (White bass) (D).

(B ) Family Clupeidae - Herrings Dorosoma cepedianum (Gizzard shad) (D).

(C ) Family Sciaenidae - Drums Aplodinotus grunniens (freshwater drum) (D).

(D) Family Characidae - Characins

1. Astyanax fasciatus (Banded tetra) (D).

2. All species of the genera Serrasalmus, Serrasalmo, Pygocentrus, Taddyella, Rooseveltiella, and Pygopristis (Piranhas) (D).

3. Hoplias malabaricus (Tiger fish) (D).

(E) Family Salmonidae - Trouts Salmo salar (Atlantic salmon) - Restricted in the Smith River watershed (D).

(F) Family Lepisosteidae - Gars All species (D).

(G) Family Amiidae - Bowfins All species (D).

(H) Family Poeciliidae - Livebearers Belonesox belizanus (Pike killifish) (D).

(I) Family Channidae - Snakeheads All species (D).

(J) Family Cyprinidae - Carps and Minnows

1. Leuciscus idus (ide) (D).

2. Ctenopharyngodon idellus (Grass carp) (D), except that permits may be issued to a person, organization or agency for possession of triploid grass carp, under conditions set forth in Section 238.6.

3. Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (Silver carp) (D).

4. Aristichthys nobilis (Bighead carp) (D).

(K) Family Trichomycteridae (Pygidiidae) - Parasitic Catfishes. All species (D).

(L) Family Cetopsidae - Whalelike Catfishes. All species (D).

(M) Family Clariidae - Labyrinth Catfishes All species of the genera Clarias, Dinotopterus, and Heterobranchus (D).

(N) Family Heteropneustidae (Saccobranchidae) - Airsac Catfishes All species (D).

(O) Family Cichlidae - Cichlids

1. Tilapia sparrmani (Banded Tilapia) (D).

2. Tilapia zilli (Redbelly tilapia) (D), except permits may be issued to a person or agency for importation, transportation, or possession in the counties of San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, and Imperial.

3. Tilapia aurea (Blue tilapia) (D).

4. Tilapia nilotica (Nile tilapia) (D).

(P) Family Anguillidae - Freshwater Eels. All species of genus Anguilla (D).

(Q) Family Esocidae - Pikes all species (D).

(R ) Family Percidae - Perches

1. Perca flavescens (Yellow perch) (D).

2. Stizostedion vitreum (Walleye) (D).

(S) Family Catostomidae - Suckers All members of the genus Ictiobus (Buffalos) (D).

(T) Family Cyprinodontidae - Killifishes Cyprinodon variegatus (Sheepshead minnow) (D).

(6) Class Elasmobranchiomorphi - Cartilaginous Fishes

(A) Family Carcharhinidae - Requiem Sharks All species of genus Carcharhinus (Freshwater sharks) (D).

(B ) Family Potamotrygonidae - River stingrays All species (D).


Source: California Code of Regulations, title 14, section 671. These regulations are promulgated by the California Fish and Game Commission pursuant to statutory authority set forth in the California Fish and Game Code. (There's a statutory list too, but the one from the regulations is more complete. The statutes only contain the original list, whereas the regulations also include all species added by the Commission.)

You can also see the entire list of prohibited animals for California at the following link:

Restricted Animals Of California
 

Lupin

Viviendo la vida loca!
MFK Member
Not all. The list enumerated these particulars.

(O) Family Cichlidae - Cichlids

1. Tilapia sparrmani (Banded Tilapia) (D).

2. Tilapia zilli (Redbelly tilapia) (D), except permits may be issued to a person or agency for importation, transportation, or possession in the counties of San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, and Imperial.

3. Tilapia aurea (Blue tilapia) (D).

4. Tilapia nilotica (Nile tilapia) (D).
 

jworth

Jack Dempsey
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Sep 9, 2008
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Lupin;4462814; said:
Not all. The list enumerated these particulars.

ok you are correct. It listed the family but then specified the individuals. Got it. Thanks for clarifying.
 

arapaimag

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Sep 13, 2005
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Lupin;4462814; said:
Not all. The list enumerated these particulars.
Lupin thanks for the information and explaining the cichlids that are excluded.

At least Arapaima are legal.

Too bad so many other fish in the hobby are not.


Nobody has answered my question of what happens to the illegal fish and are the customers charged (also what the penalties are).......Do you know?
 

Madding

The Ninth Holostei
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May 11, 2009
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I believe the fish are destroyed, or held somewhere inadequate until they die. I know this happens with a lot of cases, but perhaps sometimes they donate the fish.
 

ceeej31

Fire Eel
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Feb 13, 2008
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the pimas are legal to own in cali, but they on Appendix II of CITES which means that a permit is needed to trade them internationally. my guess is that he didn't get a permit
 
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