Authority: IC 14-10-2-4; IC 14-22-2-6

Affected: IC 14-22

Sec. 15. (a) Except as provided in subsection (e), a person must obtain a fish importation permit under this section before a person imports any live fish for sale or release.

(b) An application for a fish importation permit must be submitted by an applicant at least ten (10) days in advance of the proposed date of importation.

(c) An applicant must establish that a fish to be imported:

1. (1) is free of any communicable disease;
2. (2) will not become a nuisance; and
3. (3) will not damage a native wild species or a domestic species of animal or plant.

(d) A person is exempted from this section who possesses fish other than those listed in 312 IAC 9-6-7 and who is either engaged in:

1. (1) importing live fish exclusively for confinement and exhibit in a zoo or another public display; or
2. (2) supplying live fish for use in the aquarium pet trade.

(e) Live fish of the following species, other than genetically altered fish, may be imported without obtaining a permit under this section:

1. (1) Black crappie.
2. (2) Blue catfish.
3. (3) Bluegill.
4. (4) Bluntnose minnow.
5. (5) Buffalo.
6. (6) Bullhead.
7. (7) Burbot.
8. (8) Carp.
9. (9) Channel catfish.
10. (10) Fathead minnow.
11. (11) Flathead catfish.
12. (12) Freshwater drum.
13. (13) Golden shiner.
14. (14) Goldfish.
15. (15) Green sunfish.
16. (16) Hybrid sunfish.
17. (17) Largemouth bass.
18. (18) Mosquitofish.
19. (19) Muskellunge.
20. (20) Northern pike.
21. (21) Redear sunfish.
22. (22) Rock bass.
23. (23) Smallmouth bass.
24. (24) Striped bass.
25. (25) Sucker.
26. (26) Walleye.
27. (27) Warmouth.
28. (28) White bass.
29. (29) White catfish.
30. (30) White crappie.
31. (31) Yellow perch.

(Natural Resources Commission; 312 IAC 9-10-15; filed May 12, 1997, 10:00 a.m.: 20 IR 2735; readopted filed Jul 28, 2003, 12:00 p.m.: 27 IR 286; readopted filed Nov 24, 2008, 11:08 a.m.: 20081210-IR-312080672RFA; readopted filed May 20, 2014, 9:43 a.m.: 20140618-IR-312140017RFA; filed Sep 23, 2015, 9:57 a.m.: 20151021-IR-312140477FRA; readopted filed Sep 18, 2019, 1:16 p.m.: 20191016-IR-312190325RFA; readopted filed Mar 25, 2025, 9:50 a.m.: 20250423-IR-312240574RFA)