(1) Before engaging
in the business of a bait dealer, a person, firm, or corporation must purchase
a Fish Dealer's License. In addition, any person assisting in the capture of
bait fish and other aquatic life approved for sale must possess a Fish Dealer's
License. A separate license is required for each bait dealer location where
bait is sold.
(2) The following
species are approved for sale as live or dead bait:
|
(a) Common Name
|
Scientific Name
|
|
Skipjack Herring
|
Alosa chrysochloris
|
|
Gizzard Shad
|
Dorosoma cepedianum
|
|
Threadfin Shad
|
Dorosoma petenense
|
|
Goldfish
|
Carassius auratus
|
|
Fathead Minnow
|
Pimephales promelas
|
|
Golden Shiner
|
Notemigonus crysoleucas
|
|
Sunfish
|
Lepomis spp. and their hybrids
|
|
Rainbow Trout
|
Oncorhynchus mykiss
|
|
(b) Sunfish (Bream) 4" in length or smaller may be
sold for bait;
|
(3)
The following species are approved for sale as dead bait:
|
(a) Common Name
|
Scientific Name
|
|
Brook Silverside
|
Labidethes sicculus
|
|
Inland Silverside
|
Menidia beryllina
|
|
Silver Carp
|
Hypophthalmichthys molitrix
|
|
Bighead Carp
|
Hypophthalmichthys nobilis
|
|
Black Carp
|
Mylopharyngodon piceus
|
|
Grass Carp
|
Ctenopharyngodon idella
|
|
(b) Any fish species that is not native to
Tennessee and is imported in a preserved state (e.g. frozen, salted, pickled or
dried).
|
(4)
Approved species may be imported by licensed bait dealers into Tennessee or
exported from Tennessee as live or dead bait;
(5) Licensed bait dealers can harvest and
sell approved species as live or dead bait in Tennessee;
(6) Whenever a licensed bait dealer sells,
donates, delivers or otherwise disposes of Rainbow Trout, alive or dressed, the
dealer shall immediately issue to the person receiving Rainbow Trout an invoice
that includes:
(a) A signature by the licensee
or his/her agent;
(b) Consecutive
numbers;
(c) The name, license
number, and location of the bait dealer;
(d) The date of sale or delivery
date;
(e) The species and number of
fish sold; and
(f) The name and
address of the person receiving the fish.
(7) All invoices issued by a bait dealer must
be consecutively numbered.
(8) A
licensed bait dealer shall retain a copy of the invoice for a period of one
year after issuance and make the copy available for an inspection by any
representative of the TWRA.
(9) Any
person transporting or possessing Rainbow Trout obtained from a licensed bait
dealer for bait must have a copy of the invoice on their person.
(10) Bait dealers cannot harvest Sunfish
(Bream) or Rainbow Trout from public waters for sale as bait.
(11) Amphibians and crayfish may not be sold
as bait.
