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Re: NFC: Scientific Collectors Permits (Resend of 12/18 reply)
Below is the reply I sent on December 18 in response to Chuck's inquiry
of 12/16. Since sending this reply, I have requested and obtained the
necessary documentation from the states he lists and will be submitting
the SCP documentation shortly.
There are several advantages to collecting under a SCP:
1. It is much easier for the NFC to get an SCP listing the individual as
an authorized collector than it is for an individual to obtain an SCP.
2. In those states where bait collecting is allowed for hook and line
fishing only, an SCP allows one to legally collect fish for aquarium use
and eliminates possible difficulties with wardens who may take a "letter
of the law" approach to legal questions concerning native fish
collecting, resulting in a ticket or citation.
3. An SCP can allow multiple persons to collect in a given state, which
eliminates the need to buy expensive out-of-state fishing licenses to
collect in that state.
4. In general, fees for SCP's are less than the fees for an out-of-state
license for one person. If multiple persons can collect under the same
SCP, it becomes a low-cost way to legally collect fish for NFC programs.
In a number of states, SCP's are issued at no charge, whereas
out-of-state fishing licenses are $35 plus.
5. An SCP can authorize export of fish for scientific purposes when the
normal regulations prohibit out-of-state transport of bait fish.
Persons who illegally transport fish from such a state (i.e., Arkansas)
also violate Federal law as well and risk severe penalties.
6. An SCP can authorize the use of gear which cannot normally be used
for bait collecting, such as dip nets, long minnow seines,
electrofishing gear, etc. Use of normal fishing gear (rod and reel,
etc.) is not advised for collecting purposes. Taking of game fish may be
allowed, but only when using non-angling methods. If you wish to fish
with a rod and reel, you will be required to buy a fishing license.
Anyone else out there who wants to collect under a SCP, let me know.
******************************************************************************
Chuck and anyone else interested in collecting under a NFC Scientific
Collection Permit:
Lots of questions, but I offer kudos for wanting to take the straight
and narrow path! At present, I have gotten some information from OH and
KY and need to get it from the other states. Essentially, states come
in two flavors: one of which allows collecting of non-game fish under a
fishing license and those that do not. Some states that allow taking of
baitfish under their fishing license but only allow collected baitfish
to be used for hook and line fishing only. For these states, collecting
should be done under an SCP to prevent legal difficulties with game
wardens which don't share the collector's interpretation of the fishing
regulations.
For the vast majority of states, having an SCP eliminates all the legal
fuzziness and may allow taking of certain fish classified as game fish
(i.e., sunnies) by use of seines or dip nets, which would not normally
be allowed. Such collecting must be primarily for scientific or
educational purposes, such as captive breeding programs, life history
studies, etc. Given the paucity of information of many of our native
fishes, having some in one's home aquaria for baseline observation and
assessment for the fish's suitability for maintenance in aquaria is also
a legitimate rationale, as is collecting fish for aquaria to be set up
in classrooms for educational purposes.
I am planning to submit a number of SCP applications in the next month
or so, as I have found that some states will only issue SCP's for the
calendar year in which they were received. For the states you listed, I
can list you as an authorized agent, which means that you could legally
collect under any SCP's issued to the NFC. Whether or not you need a
license depends on the laws of the individual state, but usually an SCP
does not require license purchase. It generally WILL require keeping
records of the numbers and species of fish captured and the disposition
of them, such as the following: 25 Rainbow Darters, caught 6/10/99 in
the Upper Tennessee River, Backwoods, TN - sent to B. Smith, an
registered NFC Breeder, Charlestown, MA on 6/15/99..
I will need the mailing address and telephone number of any one who
wants to be listed in a SCP application as a NFC Authorized Agent.
Being an agent allows one to collect under the authority of the NFC's
permits. Of course, being an agent also obligates one to follow the
conditions of the SCP to the letter. Violations will _NOT_ be tolerated.
Having said that, collecting under a NFC permit is a great way to ensure
that all the fish collected are 100% legal. In addition, the SCP's can
allow taking of fish species and/or by the use of methods such as long
seines and dip nets which are not allowed under a regular fishing
license. Probably cheaper, too, especially in those states that issue
SCP's free or for a nominal fee, usually $10 - $25, whereas out of state
fishing licenses are usually $35 +.
Alll Interested Parties: Please send requests to be an authorized agent
to me by private email, listing the state(s) you are interested in
collecting in and what types or species of fish you would like to
collect and what will be done with the collected fish. I am going to
assume that if you are an authorized agent that you will be providing a
reasonable number of fish to other authorized agents and to the NFC
Breeder's Program (at NFC expense, of course). Generally, I am going to
list all species that occur within a state which are not listed as
endangered or threatened on either the state or federal level to allow
our field collectors to collect as many species as possible for our
programs, especially the Breeder's Program.
>From owner-nfc at actwin_com Wed Dec 16 22:55:07 1998
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>Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1998 21:45:09 EST
>To: nfc at actwin_com
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>Subject: NFC: Scientific Collectors Permits
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>Where do we stand on the SCP permits for particularly Indiana but also
Ohio,
>Kentucky, Illinois, Tennessee and Arizona? These are the states I
collect or
>have occasion to collect in.
>
>If for instances I travel to one of the states we are licensed in, what
do I
>need to do to collect under it? What help can I give to the
organization
>while I am there? Who do I contact? Will I also need a state license?
>
>Thank you,
>
>Chuck Church
>Indianapolis, Indiana USA
>
>"Bomb Iraq AND impeach Clinton"
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