What has the Commission done to help combat the introduction of illegal fish species in North Carolina’s public waters?
In 2002, the Commission banned the transport, possession and release of all snakehead species in North Carolina. The regulation, which went into effect on July 1, 2004, makes it illegal to transport, purchase, possess or sell live snakeheads in North Carolina. There are additional fishing-related prohibitions for North Carolina waters. The Commission went a step further in 2005 when it passed a regulation that required anyone who wanted to stock a public, inland water to obtain a stocking permit first. Illegal fish stockings can have devastating impacts on native fishes. Preventing illegal introductions is much easier—and less expensive— than trying to eradicate non-native fishes once they’ve become established.
