Proposal aims to curb spread of exotic species

Biologists with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s fisheries division have proposed a regulation change to limit the movement of live, wild-caught baitfish within the state.

The proposal is part of an effort to reduce the spread and introduction of nuisance species, such as silver carp (jumping carp), northern snakehead and zebra mussels to new bodies of water.

Under the proposed regulation, it would be unlawful for anyone to use live, wildcaught baitfish (including crayfish) unless that baitfish was caught within the water body where it was being used or within the watershed of that water body. An exception would be made for any baitfish purchased at a licensed store selling only farm-raised baitfish.

Bill Posey, assistant chief of fisheries management for Game and Fish, said the regulation shouldn’t impact most anglers purchasing their baitfish at bait shops across the state, or anglers who catch their own baitfish in the water where they are fishing.

Incidental “stockings” from bait buckets pose a risk to the health of Arkansas’s fisheries.

“Shad netting in the Arkansas River for fishing in other bodies of water, for instance, is a concern,” Posey said. “We know silver carp and bighead carp are in the river. When young, they resemble shad, and would be very easy to blend in with the shad in the net.”

Posey said even moving species within the state can have lasting effects.

“We know of one species of crayfish that was native to one watershed in the Ozarks and moved to another, most likely to be used as bait,” Posey said. “That species is now out-competing the one that was in the watershed and pushing it out. We also have common carp that were introduced into Dierks Lake, most likely from being used as bait.”

Zebra mussels, water hyacinth, silver carp (jumping carp) and northern snakehead have all found their way into Arkansas waters, so the focus is to prevent their spread to new watersheds by limiting movement by people.

Chris Racey, fisheries division chief, said a similar regulation has been in place on a local level at Norfork Lake since 2009 and has helped prevent the spread of nuisance species to that body of water.