40 Miss. Code. R. 3-3.1 - REGULATIONS REGARDING COMMERCIAL FISHING
A. The following
rules, regulations and required licenses relative to freshwater commercial
fishing, commercial fishing equipment tags, seines, nets and traps and
wholesale minnow dealers are hereby adopted for all residents and non-residents
for public waters identified in MISS. CODE ANN. §
51-3-1 and Miss. Code Ann. §
59-23-3(e).
Nonresidents shall comply with all subsections of MISS. CODE ANN. §
49-7-9.1, except for the
subsection which specifies the fee for a resident commercial fishing
license.
B. Non-game gross fish,
nonnative fish, minnows, non-game fish, crawfish, and freshwater shrimp may be
taken and sold from the public freshwaters of Mississippi except for those
species listed in sections G10, G11, G13 and G14, except in from those waters
specifically listed in section H which are closed to freshwater commercial
fishing equipment and slat baskets as stated herein. Non-game gross fish,
nongame fish and non-native fish are listed or defined in MISS. CODE ANN.§
49-7-1. Minnows are defined in
MISS. CODE ANN. §
49-7-29
C. LICENSES
1. All persons (no age or disability license
exemption) who engage in the following activities must have a freshwater
commercial fishing license to do the following in the public freshwaters of
Mississippi:
a. Fish freshwater commercial
fishing equipment (hoop or barrel nets, reinforcement wire catfish nets, gill
or trammel nets, slat baskets or trotlines with more than 100 hooks in
aggregate) as defined in MISS. CODE ANN. §
49-7-9.1 and in this
rule.
b. Harvest,
sell, resell, or purchase for re-sale non-game gross fish, nongame fish and
non-native fish.
c. Sell minnows at
wholesale (with the exception of those MS residents growing minnows on their
own property, MISS. CODE ANN. §
49-7-29) or sell minnows taken
from the public freshwaters of Mississippi. Minnows are defined as golden
shiners, fathead minnows, goldfish, emerald shiner, common carp, mosquito fish,
and Gulf killifish.
d. Selling,
reselling or exporting for sale across state lines crawfish or freshwater
shrimp taken from the public freshwaters of Mississippi.
2. Any person using a slat basket in the
public freshwaters of Mississippi waters must have a valid Mississippi Slat
Basket License in addition to having a valid Freshwater Commercial Fishing
License.
3. LICENSE COSTS: The
following licenses are available at the listed price.
|
Commercial Fishing License Types |
Cost |
|
Resident Freshwater Commercial Fishing License |
$30 |
|
Nonresident Freshwater Commercial Fishing License |
$200 |
|
Slat Basket License (for each basket and in addition to freshwater commercial license and slat basket tags) |
$30 |
(Prices listed do not include processing fees or agent fees.)
4. A person holding a
Freshwater Commercial Fishing License can be assisted by a helper who has any
valid license issued by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and
Parks. Anyone in the boat with a licensed commercial fisherman is considered a
helper and therefore must have valid license issued by the Mississippi
Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks. There are no license exemptions
for helpers. Helpers who do not have a Mississippi commercial fishing license
cannot sell, resell, or ship for sale, nongame gross fish or nonnative
fish.
5. Persons who have a
freshwater commercial fishing license are allowed to fish crawfish traps and
freshwater shrimp traps as described herein.
D. FRESHWATER COMMERCIAL FISHING EQUIPMENT
1. TROTLINES:
a. Trotlines must have hooks at least 24
inches apart and tied so they cannot slip together.
b. No trotlines or throw lines shall exceed
1,000 feet.
c. A trotline with more
than 100 hooks is considered commercial gear and requires a freshwater
commercial fishing license.
2. SNAG LINES: There is no open season for
the use of snag lines.
3. HOOP NETS
and BARREL NETS:
a. Hoop or barrel nets shall
have hoops covered with treated mesh twine or cord number 15 or bigger; the
minimum mesh size shall be three (3) inch square measure.
b. Lead Nets are hoop nets with one or two
net mesh panels called wings or hearts attached to the front hoop. No more than
seven lead nets per license holder may be used, with lead mesh panels up to 35
yards in length, with the minimum mesh size being three (3) inch square measure
and made of treated mesh twine or cord number 15 twine or bigger.
c. Hearts may be used only in the Mississippi
River where it is a common boundary between Mississippi and another state
(oxbow lakes included).
d. Hoop
nets or barrel nets must be set at least 100 yards apart EXCEPT nets may be
fished on each end of a lead mesh panel, as such, this constitutes one set, and
each set must be 100 yards apart.
e. Any person fishing barrel nets and/or hoop
nets in Mississippi waters, which are common boundaries between Mississippi and
another state (oxbow lakes included), may use the same mesh size allowed in the
other state; EXCEPT, leads, hearts and wings are prohibited in Mississippi
waters when attached to barrel or hoop nets with minimum mesh of less than
three (3) inches square measure.
f.
There are no restrictions on the size of the hoops, the material used for hoop
construction, the overall length of a hoop net or barrel net or the number of
throats they have.
g. Hoop nets are
also known as barrel nets, set nets, funnel nets or fiddler nets.
4. REINFORCEMENT WIRE CATFISH
NETS:
a. These are similar to hoop nets but
have a rigid wire frame instead of hoops. These nets may be used as long as the
wire frame spacing is at least six (6) inches square measure. The wire framing
must be covered with #15 or bigger twine or cord treated net mesh material
which is at least the minimum mesh size (square measure) specified for hoop or
barrel nets in D3a and D3e. These nets may be fished as lead nets as specified
in the Hoop Net and Barrel Net section D3a - D3e.
5. SEINES: The use of seines is prohibited
statewide, except for minnow seines as described elsewhere in this
rule.
6. MINNOW SEINES AND MINNOW
TRAPS:
a. This equipment, as described below,
can be used to harvest minnows as defined in MISS. CODE ANN. §
49-7-29, non-game fish, and
non-game gross fish as defined in MISS. CODE ANN. §
49-7-1. Note: A commercial fishing
license is not required to fish these types of gear, but the sale of fish
authorized to be harvested by means of this equipment does require a commercial
fishing license.
b. Minnow Seines:
These seines must be no more than 25 feet in length and four (4) feet in
depth.
c. Minnow
Traps: Minnow traps or jars constructed of glass, plastic,
nonmetallic or wire mesh not more than 32 inches in length and 12 inches in
diameter having no wings or leads and having an entrance no larger than one
inch in diameter may be used.
7. CRAWFISH TRAPS AND FRESHWATER SHRIMP
TRAPS:
a. Crawfish Traps: any device
constructed of coated wire or plastic mesh with openings of the throats or
flutes not exceeding 2 inches in diameter and which is used for the sole
purpose of taking crawfish. Any commercially available crawfish trap with
openings of throats or flutes not exceeding 2 inches in diameter and any lift
trap may be used.
b. Crawfish traps
are typically of the pillow or pyramid style or lift nets.
c. Freshwater shrimp traps: traps must be no
larger than 36 inches long from the rear of the heart to the leading edge of
the trap, and no larger than 24 inches wide between the leading edges of the
trap or heart opening and no larger than 12 inches high and be without an
external or unattached wings, weirs or other guiding devices intended to funnel
shrimp to the trap heart.
8. TRAMMEL NETS and GILL NETS:
a. Gill nets and trammel nets made of any
material other than mono or multi filament twine are unlawful.
b. Nets must be set at least 100 yards apart
and no nearer than 20 yards to piers. Maximum length shall be 3,000
feet.
c. Nets must have a minimum
mesh of three and one half (3.5) inches square measure.
d. Exception in Specified Border Line Waters:
A minimum of three (3) inch square mesh measure gill and trammel nets may be used in Pickwick Lake, the main channels of the Mississippi and Pearl Rivers along the MS/LA border, and in any streams, lakes, and portion of lakes, where the Mississippi/Louisiana state line occurs as depicted on the U.S. Department of the Interior, Geological Survey quadrangle maps.
9. SLAT BASKETS are
defined as commercial fishing devices used solely for the capture of catfish.
a. Pursuant to MISS. CODE ANN. §
49-7-9.1 and
49-7-12, ANY PERSON using a slat
basket in Mississippi waters must have a valid Mississippi slat basket license
for each slat basket.
b. Slat
baskets fished in Mississippi waters shall:
i.
Be made entirely of wood and/or plastic slats in a boxlike or cylindrical
shape, not to exceed six (6) feet in length or fifteen (15) inches in width and
height or diameter.
ii. Have no
more than two (2) throats, have at least four (4) slot openings of a minimum
one and one quarter (11/4) inches by twenty-four (24) inches evenly spaced
around the sides of the catch area on cylindrical shaped baskets and one such
opening per on each side of square shaped baskets. These openings must begin at
the rear (or closed end) of the basket and run twenty-four (24) inches toward
the throat end (or mouth or open end) of the basket.
c. Slat baskets shall be placed at least one
hundred (100) yards apart and may not be used with any form of leads, netting,
or guiding devices (MISS. CODE ANN. §
49-7-9.1).
d. Slat Baskets must display the license
holders' MDWFP Number on a waterproof tag provided by the licensed
fishermen.
e. Any violation of this
subsection is a violation of MISS. CODE ANN. §49- 7-9.1 (6) and shall be a
Class 1 violation, punishable as provided in MISS. CODE ANN. §
49-7-141.
E. TAGGING REQUIREMENTS:
1. All Commercial Fishing Equipment, and all
Slat Baskets must display the license holders' MDWFP Number on a waterproof tag
provided by the licensed fishermen. No other number will be needed.
2. Each Freshwater Commercial Fishing license
holder is responsible for writing with waterproof marking or engraving their
MDWFP Number on a waterproof Commercial Fishing Equipment Tag in legible
numbers at least 1/4" in height.
3.
Commercial Fishing Equipment Tags do not expire and may be used as long as the
MDWFP Number, or a Louisiana, or Arkansas resident commercial fishing license
number is legible on the commercial fishing equipment tag for gear fished in
Mississippi waters in border water areas.
4. A Commercial Fishing Equipment Tag shall
be attached to one end of the float line of gill or trammel nets; on the front
hoop of any hoop or barrel net; at the open end of any reinforcement wire
catfish net; within five (5) feet of one end of the main line of each trotline;
and attached to the front end of a slat basket.
5. All commercial fishing equipment and slat
baskets must be tagged on those border lakes and waters that are part of the
reciprocal resident license agreements between Mississippi/Louisiana 40
Mississippi Admin. Code Part 4 Rule
3.3, and between Mississippi/Arkansas
40 Mississippi Admin Code Part 4 Rule
3.2. The reciprocal agreements DO NOT
give non-resident license holders authority to fish in border waters of a state
of which they do not possess a license.
6. Gill nets, trammel nets, hoop nets,
reinforcement wire catfish nets, slat baskets and trotlines fished by RESIDENTS
of Louisiana and Arkansas in Mississippi waters specified in those reciprocal
agreements must tag their commercial fishing equipment with the type of tag
specified in the state where they are licensed for that gear, or if no tagging
is required by their resident state, they must put their commercial fishing
license number on their commercial fishing equipment tag when commercial
fishing equipment is fished in border waters, or purchase a Mississippi
nonresident commercial fishing license to get an MDWFP license number to for
their tags. Persons with a Louisiana resident sportfishing or a basic fishing
license using "recreational hoop nets" or any other commercial fishing
equipment must either purchase a Louisiana commercial fishing license or a
nonresident Mississippi commercial fishing license to fish commercial fishing
equipment in Mississippi waters. Louisiana residents fishing gill nets must tag
their equipment using the same criteria as Mississippi residents, EXCEPT their
Louisiana license number must be on their freshwater commercial fishing
equipment tag while fishing their gear in Mississippi waters.
7. Crawfish traps and freshwater shrimp traps
fished in public water shall be marked with a waterproof tag provided by the
fishermen, with their MDWFP Number, or a Louisiana, or Arkansas resident
commercial fishing license number legibly printed on the tag using the same
criteria as other commercial fishing equipment when fished in Mississippi
waters in border water areas.
F. FISHING RESTRICTIONS
1. No person shall possess both sport and
commercial gear when engaged in fishing or out on a water body.
2. It is unlawful to set any freshwater
commercial fishing equipment within 100 yards of another piece of commercial
fishing equipment (MISS. CODE ANN. §
49-7-81). Exception:
a. Hoop nets connected by a lead as defined
in D.3.d.; and
b. Minnow traps,
minnow seines, crawfish traps, and shrimp traps.
3. It is unlawful to set any freshwater
commercial fishing equipment so that it extends more than half way across any
stream, channel, drain or other body of water (MISS. CODE ANN. §
49-7-81). A guideline that does
not impede navigation may be set.
4. Driving or attempting to drive fish (also
known as whooping, whipping or striking) into any freshwater commercial fishing
gear is permitted; however, it shall be unlawful to alter or destroy any
natural or man-made structure in the process of fishing for non-game gross fish
or non-native fish.
5. It shall be
unlawful to raise or run, or tamper with, or take fish from any legal
freshwater commercial fishing equipment, crawfish traps, shrimp traps, and/or
slat baskets which are not licensed and tagged in your name without written
permission of the owner of the commercial fishing equipment. Written permission
to run, or take fish from, someone else's commercial gear must be carried on
the person running the gear and must include the full name and MDWFP number of
both the gear owner and the person running the gear.
6. It is unlawful for any person to fish any
equipment in the waters of the state of any size or type that is not allowed by
the MDWFP (MISS. CODE ANN. §
49-7-81). Illegal gear, untagged
gear and/or improperly tagged gear may be seized by conservation officers upon
discovery.
G. HARVEST
SIZE AND POSSESSION RESTRICTIONS; BAIT
1. All
game fish (MISS. CODE ANN. §
49-7-1) caught in freshwater
commercial fishing equipment shall be returned to the water immediately (MISS.
CODE ANN. §
49-7-83).
2. Persons with commercial fishing licenses
can use bream/sunfish for bait on trotlines, as long as:
a. these fish were legally taken;
and
b. the daily creel limit for
these species (100 fish total) is not exceeded.
3. No other species of game fish can be used
by commercial fisherman as bait on trotlines. Nongame gross fish, nongame fish,
minnows as defined in MISS. CODE ANN. §
49-7-29 and nonnative fish for
which harvest is legal may be used as bait. Only dead nonnative fish may be
used as bait.
a. The harvest, possession, or
use of any freshwater mussel for bait is prohibited (MISS. CODE ANN. §
49-9-5).
4. Minnows, non-game fish, nongame gross fish
and DEAD nonnative fish harvested for bait from Mississippi public waters may
be taken outside the state for sale.
5. It is unlawful to commercially take, to
offer for sale, or to possess non-game gross fish below the following total
lengths, dressed lengths, or more than the creel limits:
|
Species |
Total Length |
Dressed Length |
Creel Limit |
|
Buffalo |
16 inches |
12 inches |
None |
|
Flathead Catfish |
16 inches |
12 inches |
None |
|
Other Catfish |
12 inches |
9 inches |
None |
|
Sturgeon |
0 |
||
|
Paddlefish |
0 |
||
|
Alligator Gar |
2 |
a. Dressed
means the removal of the head and guts from a fish. Dressed fish may also have
the skin, scales, and all fins removed except for the tail fin. Dressed length
means the length of the fish carcass measured on a flatboard from one end of
the carcass to the end of the tail squeezed together to give the maximum
overall length.
6. All
Buffalo, Flathead Catfish, Channel Catfish, and Blue Catfish must remain intact
(with head, tail, skin and scales) while fishing any waters open to commercial
fishing.
7. On border waters with
Tennessee and Alabama persons with commercial fishing licenses shall possess no
more than one catfish (blue, channel, flathead) over 34 inches in
length.
8. Total length is measured
with on a flatboard from the mouth to the end of the tail with the mouth of the
fish closed and tail squeezed to give the maximum overall length.
9. The minimum length on dressed length shall
not apply to fish processed at a facility (retail stores and supermarkets) that
complies with Federal and State Health regulations. All fish sold on a rural or
urban route or on display at a commercially licensed fish market shall meet
total or dressed length requirements as established except that Buffalo ribs
may be removed from the body side and be displayed and sold by commercial
fisherman and commercially licensed fish markets.
10. PADDLEFISH: Paddlefish (live or dead)
caught in commercial fishing equipment must be released immediately. The
harvest and/or possession, sale or attempted sale of Paddlefish, or any
Paddlefish part (flesh and eggs) by resident and nonresident commercial
fishermen is hereby prohibited on all the lands and water of the State of
Mississippi including Mississippi lands and waters in all border water areas
with adjacent states. As per MISS. CODE ANN§
49-7-90, violation of this rule
section is a Class 1 offense.
11.
ALL MISSISSIPPI WATERS ARE CLOSED TO THE COMMERCIAL HARVEST OF ALL STURGEON
SPECIES (Alabama shovelnose sturgeon, Atlantic sturgeon, Gulf sturgeon, Lake
sturgeon, Pallid sturgeon, and Shovelnose sturgeon). The harvest and/or
possession, sale or attempted sale of any Sturgeon species, or any Sturgeon
part (flesh and eggs) by resident and nonresident commercial fishermen is
hereby prohibited on all the lands and waters of the State of Mississippi
including Mississippi lands and waters in all border water areas with adjacent
states.
12. ALLIGATOR GAR: There
shall be no harvest of alligator gar of any size from the following waters:
a. Bee Lake in Holmes County; and
b. St. Catherine Creek watershed in Adams
County.
13. Per 40
Mississippi Administrative Code, Part 5, Rule 2.4, persons cannot take,
possess, transport, export, process or sell any species on the Official State
list of Endangered Species.
14. Per
40 Mississippi Administrative Code Part 5, Rule 2.3, Non-game wildlife, or
their parts taken from wild Mississippi populations may not be bought sold,
offered for sale or exported for sale. Any person who takes or possesses
non-game wildlife, turtles, frogs, and snakes for personal use must comply with
licensing, permitting, harvest restrictions, and reporting requirements as
established in current version of 40 Mississippi Administrative Code, Part 5,
Rule 2.3.
15. Freshwater mussels
may not be taken, caught or killed as per MISS. CODE ANN§
49-9-5.
H. AREAS CLOSED TO COMMERCIAL FISHING
EQUIPMENT
1. THE FOLLOWING AREAS SHALL BE
CLOSED TO ALL TYPES OF COMMERCIAL FISHING EQUIPMENT, SLAT BASKETS, SHRIMP
TRAPS, CRAWFISH TRAPS, AND COMMERCIAL FISHING:
a. From the outlet works in the Coldwater
River of Arkabutla Dam downstream to the Corps of Engineers cable crossing, a
distance of approximately one-fourth mile.
b. In the Tallahatchie River and Barrow Lake
below Sardis Dam from the outlet works downstream to U.S. Highway 51 bridge
crossing of said river.
c. In the
Yocona River from the outlet works of Enid Dam downstream to the U.S. Highway
51 bridge crossing of said river.
d. In the Yalobusha River from the outlet
works of Grenada Dam downstream to south bound lane of the I-55 bridge crossing
of said river.
e. In the
Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway (TTW) south from Hwy. 25 (Scrugg's Bridge) over
the Yellow Creek embayment of Pickwick Lake in Tishomingo County to Bay Springs
Lake at the Jamie Whitten Lock & Dam, including all of Bay Springs
Lake.
f. Columbus Lake, in Monroe
County from the Aberdeen Lock and Dam downstream to Hwy 45 overpass, locally
known as "Morgan's Landing Boat Ramp", including the river channel
bendways.
g. Aliceville Lake, in
Lowndes County from Columbus Lock & Dam downstream to Hwy 82 overpass at
the junction of the navigation channel and the mouth of Luxapalila Creek,
including the river channel bendways.
h. Ross Barnett Reservoir from the Main Dam
upstream to Lowhead Dam near Ludlow, Mississippi.
i. Pearl River upstream from State Highway
15.
j. Pearl River below Ross
Barnett Reservoir from the Spillway outlet to the City of Jackson's Water Works
Lowhead Dam.
k. All waters of
Okatibbee Reservoir.
l. Muddy Bayou
in Warren County from its mouth at Eagle Lake to the Muddy Bayou structure at
Steele Bayou.
m. Moon Lake in
Coahoma County including Phillip Bayou and Yazoo Pass in Coahoma County, except
as specified in Section I (Special Permit).
n. All State Fishing Lakes and State Park
Lakes owned or leased by the Department.
o. The Yockanookany River between Hwy. 35 and
Hwy. 429 in Attala and Leake Counties, including Little Conehoma Creek and all
creeks connecting to this river section.
p. All waters of Back Bay Biloxi north and
west of a line extending across Back Bay Biloxi beginning at the Highway 90
bridge and all rivers, bayous, bays, streams, lakes, inlets, and other waters
whatsoever connecting to said designated part of Back Bay Biloxi.
q. Red and Black Creeks and tributaries and
water area beginning at the mouth of Dead Lake in Jackson County upstream to
the origin of said creeks.
r. All
waters of St. Louis Bay which are north of the Highway 90 bridge and all
rivers, bayous, bays, streams, lakes, inlets, and other waters whatsoever
connected to said designated part of St. Louis Bay.
s. Bouie River and all associated oxbow
lakes, tributaries and water areas upstream from its confluence with the Leaf
River.
t. Lake Susie, an oxbow lake
of the old Tallahatchie River in Panola County west of Batesville.
u. All waters in or on National Wildlife
Refuges and National Forests in Mississippi.
v. Fosters Lake and Mud Lake in Wilkinson
County.
2. THE FOLLOWING
AREAS SHALL BE CLOSED TO ALL TYPES OF FRESHWATER COMMERCIAL FISHING EQUIPMENT,
SHRIMP TRAPS, CRAWFISH TRAPS BUT SHALL BE OPEN TO SLATBASKETS.
In the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway (TTW):
a. The G. V. Sonny Montgomery Lock & Dam
(Lock E) north to the Mississippi Hwy 4 overpass.
b. John Rankin Lock & Dam (Lock D) north
to mile marker 406.
c. Fulton Lock
& Dam (Lock C) north to mile marker 398.
d. Glover Wilkins Lock & Dam (Lock B)
north to the Hwy 78 overpass.
e.
Amory Lock & Dam (Lock A) north to mile marker 375.
f. Aberdeen Lock and Dam north to where the
old Tombigbee River enters the TTW navigation channel at mile marker
366.3.
3. THE FOLLOWING
AREAS SHALL BE CLOSED TO THE USE OF HOOP NETS, BARREL NETS, REINFORCEMENT WIRE
CATFISH NETS, GILL NETS, OR TRAMMEL NETS BUT SHALL BE OPEN TO SHRIMP TRAPS,
CRAWFISH TRAPS, MINNOW SEINES, MINNOW TRAPS, TROTLINES, AND SLAT BASKETS.
a. Yocona River from the U.S. Highway 51
bridge crossing downstream to the Pope-Crowder Road Bridge.
b. Yalobusha River from south bound
Interstate 55 bridge below Grenada Dam downstream to State Highway 8 and 35
bridge crossing.
c. Bull Mountain
Creek from the confluence with the Tombigbee River to the Mississippi-Alabama
state line.
d. Luxapalila Creek
from the confluence with the Tombigbee River to the Mississippi-Alabama state
line.
e. Buttahatchie River from
the confluence with the Tenn-Tom Waterway navigational channel to the
Mississippi-Alabama state line.
4. Slat baskets are prohibited in the Old
River Wildlife Management Area.
5.
Commercial fishing with hoop or barrel nets and reinforcement wire catfish nets
shall be closed on the Escatawpa River south of Interstate 10.
a. From April 1 to Oct. 31, commercial
fishing with gill or trammel nets shall be closed in the following
rivers:
b. Bogue Chitto River from
the confluence of the East and West Bogue Chitto Creeks west of Hartman, MS
downstream to the Mississippi/LA state line.
c. Chickasawhay River from Hwy 11 bridge
north of Enterprise, MS downstream to its confluence with the Pascagoula
River.
d. Leaf River from I-59
bridge, west of Moselle, MS downstream to its confluence with the Pascagoula
River.
I.
REGULATIONS REGARDING THE USE OF COMMERCIAL FISHING EQUIPMENT IN THE PASCAGOULA
RIVER.
1. The use of commercial fishing
equipment is allowed within the natural banks of the main channel of the
Pascagoula River. Natural bank means the land that confines the entire existing
river flow to within the main channel of the river covering the bed of the
river. Water covering the top of the natural bank is considered floodwater that
cannot be fished without permission of the landowner.
a. The use of all commercial fishing
equipment is prohibited in any connected or non-connected oxbow lake or
tributary stream of the Pascagoula River that is located in or on the
Pascagoula River Wildlife Management Area (WMA) or Ward Bayou WMA.
b. Commercial fishing with hoop or barrel
nets and reinforcement wire catfish nets shall be prohibited from the
Wade-Vancleave Road Bridge downstream to the Hwy 90 Bridge, including Little
River and the East and West Pascagoula Rivers and all water areas in between
the East and West Pascagoula Rivers. Shrimp traps, crawfish traps, minnow
seines, minnow traps, trotlines, and slat baskets are legal to use in this
area.
c. Commercial fishing with
gill or trammel nets shall be prohibited from the Pascagoula River's origin at
the confluence of the Leaf and Chickasawhay Rivers north of Merrill, MS
downstream to the Hwy 90 bridge from April 1 to Oct. 31. This includes the
Little River, the East and West Pascagoula Rivers and all water areas in
between the East and West Pascagoula Rivers. Shrimp traps, crawfish traps,
minnow seines, minnow traps, trotlines, and slat baskets are legal to use in
this area year round.
J. SPECIAL PERMIT
1. A special permit issued through the MDWFP
Fisheries Bureau Director shall allow a person with a commercial fishing
license to fish nets in specific waters identified in the permit.
2. The special permits shall only be issued
for waters identified by the MDWFP Fisheries Bureau where control of aquatic
nuisance species or nongame gross fish removal is needed.
a. Those persons issued special permits shall
carry that permit on them while fishing in the water body named in that permit
and persons issued special permits shall report their harvest from the nets to
MDWFP on forms supplied by MDWFP. Reports for the special permits shall be
received by the deadline set by MDWFP.
3. The following areas shall be open to
commercial fishing with gill, trammel, and hoop nets by issuance of a special
permit:
a. From October 1 to April 30, Moon
Lake in Coahoma County including Phillip Bayou and Yazoo Pass in Coahoma
County.
b. All Paddlefish (live or
dead) and all species of Sturgeon (live or dead) caught in commercial fishing
equipment shall be released immediately.
c. Commercial fishing equipment shall not be
run, checked, nor shall fish be removed from gear from 30 minutes after sunset
to 30 minutes before sunrise. However, commercial fishing equipment may be left
out overnight.
K. REPORTING FRESHWATER COMMERICAL FISHING
HARVEST
1. Any person required to purchase a
commercial fishing license must report their catch and other activities on
forms provided by MDWFP when requested by the MDWFP.
2. Failure to submit reports or submitting
reports with intentionally false information is cause for a person to be denied
the privilege to purchase a Commercial Fishing License until such reports are
submitted.
Notes
State regulations are updated quarterly; we currently have two versions available. Below is a comparison between our most recent version and the prior quarterly release. More comparison features will be added as we have more versions to compare.
No prior version found.