Bill Text: MS HB1564 | 2026 | Regular Session | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Catfish; class as game fish.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 2)
Status: (Failed) 2026-02-12 - Died On Calendar [HB1564 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2026-HB1564-Comm_Sub.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2026 Regular Session
To: Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks
By: Representative Kinkade
House Bill 1564
(COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE)
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 49-7-1, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO MOVE FISH IN THE CATFISH FAMILY FROM NONGAME GROSS FISH CLASS TO GAME FISH CLASS; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 49-7-9.1, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH RELATES TO COMMERCIAL FISHING LICENSES, FOR THE PURPOSES OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 49-7-1, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
49-7-1. For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions and interpretations shall govern unless otherwise provided:
(a) The following wild animals are classed as game: bear, white-tailed deer, rabbits and squirrels.
(b) The following wild animals are classed as fur-bearing animals: muskrats, opossums, otters, weasels, minks, raccoons and bobcats.
(c) The following wild animals are classed as nuisance animals: wild hogs, nutria, beaver, fox, skunks and coyote.
(d) All freshwater fish in the following families are classed as game fish: Sunfish family (Centrarchidae) - including largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu), spotted bass (Micropterus punctulatus), white crappie (Pomoxis annularis), black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus), redear sunfish (Lepomis microlophus), bluegill (Lepomis macrochiris), warmouth (Lepomis gulosus), green sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus), longear sunfish (Lepomis megalotis), redbreast sunfish (Lepomis auritus) and shadow bass (Ambloplites ariommus); Perch family (Percidae) - including walleye (Stizostedion vitreum), sauger (Stizostedion canadense) and yellow perch (Perca flavescens); Pike family (Esocidae) - including redfin pickerel (Esox americanus americanus), grass pickerel (Esox americanus vermiculatus), chain pickerel (Esox niger); Temperate bass family (Moronidae) including - white bass (Morone chrysops), yellow bass (Morone mississippiensis), striped bass (Morone saxatilis) and hybrid striped bass (Morone chrysops x Morone saxatilis and/or Morone saxatilis x Morone chrysops); in the Catfish family (Ictaluridae) - channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus), flathead catfish (Pylodictus olivaris), yellow bullhead (Ameiurus natalis), black bullhead (Ameiurus melas), brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus).
The following fish are
classed as nongame gross fish: in the Herring family (Clupeidae) - gizzard
shad (Dorosoma cepedianum), threadfin shad (Dorosoma petenense); * * * in
the Gar family - spotted gar (Lepisosteus oculatus), longnose gar (Lepisosteus
osseus), shortnose gar (Lepisosteus platostomus), alligator gar (Atractosteus
spatula); in the Eel family (Anguillidae) - American eel (Anguilla rostrata);
in the Bowfin family (Amiidae) - bowfin (Amia calva); in the Paddlefish family
(Polyodontidae) - paddlefish (Polyodon spathula); in the Minnow family
(Cyprinidae) - common carp (Cyprinus carpio); in the Sucker family
(Catostomidae) - river carpsucker (Carpoides carpio), quillback (Carpoides
cyprinus), highfin carpsucker (Carpoides velifer), spotted sucker (Minytrema
melanops), blacktail redhorse (Moxostoma poecilurum), smallmouth buffalo
(Ictiobus bubalus), bigmouth buffalo (Ictiobus cyprinellus), black buffalo
(Ictiobus niger); in the Drum family (Sciaenidae) - freshwater drum
(Aplodinotus grunniens).
All fish native to Mississippi that are not classed as game fish or nongame gross fish are classed as nongame fish.
All fish native to foreign countries and all fish native to the United States but not native to Mississippi are classed as nonnative fish.
(e) The following are classed as game birds: geese, brant ducks, rails, coots, snipe, gallinules, moorhens, woodcock, crow, mergansers, wild turkey, quail and doves.
All other species of wild resident or migratory birds are classed as nongame birds.
(f) Closed season: the time during which birds, animals or fish may not be taken.
(g) Open season: the time during which birds, animals or fish may be lawfully taken.
(h) "Commission" means the Mississippi Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.
(i) "Department" means the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.
(j) "Executive director" means the Executive Director of the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.
SECTION 2. Section 49-7-9.1, Mississippi Code of 1972, is brought forward as follows:
49-7-9.1. (1) (a) Any resident engaged in fishing for commercial purposes and selling or peddling nongame gross fish at retail or selling or shipping same at wholesale, as to markets, dealers or canning plants, shall purchase a commercial fishing license.
(b) A licensee must label each piece of commercial fishing equipment with a waterproof or metal tag containing any information required by the department. A piece of commercial fishing equipment is defined as: One (1) each hoop or barrel net; one thousand (1,000) feet or less of trotline; one thousand (1,000) feet or less of snagline; three thousand (3,000) feet or less of gill netting; or three thousand (3,000) feet or less of trammel netting. Netting of over three thousand (3,000) feet is prohibited.
(c) Upon the purchase of a commercial license for use of hoop or barrel nets, the licensee is permitted to use lead nets thirty-five (35) yards in length for each two (2) barrel nets used, but not to exceed seven (7) lead nets.
(2) Each person taking nongame gross fish as defined in Section 49-7-1, of any kind from the fresh waters of the state shall be considered a producer and shall be entitled to sell his own catch of nongame gross fish to anyone except as otherwise provided by law or applicable regulations.
(3) Each resident buying or handling nongame gross fish secured from commercial fishermen or others for the purpose of resale, whether handled on a commission basis or otherwise, and each resident shipping nongame gross fish not his own catch out of the State of Mississippi shall be considered a wholesale dealer and shall purchase a commercial fishing license. Resident wholesale dealers' licenses shall be issued only to persons who have been bona fide residents of the State of Mississippi for at least six (6) months.
(4) Each resident buying nongame gross fish from a licensed wholesale dealer or licensed commercial fisherman for retail sale to the consumer only on rural or urban routes shall purchase a commercial fishing license to do so.
(5) Each resident engaged in the buying and selling of nongame gross fish as a wholesale dealer's agent, whether on a commission or salary basis, or otherwise, and not selling in the open market, shall purchase a commercial fishing license and shall be responsible for any illegal transaction ensuing between the time he purchases the fish from the fisherman and the time the fish are accepted by the wholesaler by whom he is employed.
(6) (a) Any resident using a wooden or plastic slat basket shall purchase a slat basket license for each basket each year in addition to a commercial fishing license. Slat baskets are defined as commercial fishing devices used solely for the capture of catfish and made entirely of wood and/or plastic slats in a box-like or cylindrical shape. Slat baskets shall not exceed six (6) feet in length nor exceed fifteen (15) inches in width and height or diameter, may have no more than two (2) throats, and must have at least four (4) slot openings at least one and one-fourth (1-1/4) by twenty-four (24) inches evenly spaced around the sides of the catch area. The one and one-fourth (1-1/4) inch wide slots or greater must begin at the rear of the basket and run twenty-four (24) inches toward the throat end of the basket. Slat baskets shall be placed at least one hundred (100) yards apart and may not be used with any form of leads, netting or guiding devices.
(b) Each slat basket shall have a waterproof or metal tag attached to it containing any information required by the department. Any other identification of the owner of the slat basket shall meet any specifications required by the department. Slat baskets may be fished statewide except where specifically prohibited.
(c) Any violation of this subsection shall be a Class I violation as prescribed in Section 49-7-141.
(7) It is unlawful for any person to offer for sale undersized nongame gross fish.
(8) (a) The fee for a resident commercial fishing license shall be Thirty Dollars ($30.00).
(b) The fee for a slat basket license shall be Thirty Dollars ($30.00).
(9) Any person authorized to issue any license under this section may collect and retain for issuing each license the additional fee authorized under Section 49-7-17.
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2026, and shall stand repealed on June 30, 2026.
