Author(s): Wiggles92 (Ryan Bing)
Images by: Wiggles92
Edited, Arranged, and Referenced by Wiggles92
*** All Information Copyright 2012 the authors and
www.MonsterFishKeepers.com OR used with permission. All Images Copyright 2011 the correspondingly credited and used with permission.
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Unite States
All true gars (Family Lepisosteidae) are illegal to own in the following states:
- Arizona
- California
- Connecticut
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Nevada
- Oregon
- Utah
- Washington
The following states have special regulations in regards to some or all species of gar:
- Colorado[SUP]1[/SUP]
- Missouri[SUP]2[/SUP]
- New Mexico[SUP]3[/SUP]
- Pennsylvania[SUP]4[/SUP]
Please note that no lists could be found for these states:
- Alaska
- Delaware
- Washington D.C. (District of Columbia)
- North Dakota
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
[SUP]1[/SUP]= Possession of true gars (or almost any other fishes, for that matter) that were illegally imported to Colorado, e.g. imported without a license, is prohibited. As a result, one must either purchase the gar(s) from a licensed in-state vendor that imported them legally or apply for an importation permit in order to legally acquire the gar(s). Gars that were produced within the state are legal to possess.
[SUP]2[/SUP]= Possession of spotted gar (
Lepisosteus oculatus), longnose gar (
Lepisosteus osseus), and shortnose gar (
Lepisosteus platostomus) is prohibited under some situations; these three species are legal for Missouri residents to possess provided that they were legally acquired. It is prohibited to catch, buy, sell, and/or possess wild-caught alligator gars (
Atractosteus spatula) from the state, but captive-bred specimens and wild-caught specimens from outside of the state might be legal to possess with proper documentation, e.g. a receipt. The regulations do not mention the other gar species.
[SUP]3[/SUP]= The regulations imply that possession of true gars is prohibited because there is a specific list of fishes that are allowed to be owned.
[SUP]4[/SUP]= Spotted gars (
Lepisosteus oculatus) are endangered in PA and possession is prohibited in almost all cases.
Map Key:
Green= Legal.
Red= Illegal.
Yellow= No information could be found.
Purple= Please refer to the previously provided information for the state in question
