Missouri alters live bait regulations

BRANSON MO NEWS:

The Missouri Department of Conservation is reminding anglers that four carp species cannot be used as live bait.

Andrew Branson, fisheries programs specialist, said that a new definition of “invasive fish” has been added to the state’s regulations.

The definition now includes a list of bighead carp, silver carp, grass carp and common carp.

“Invasive fish are not native to Missouri and have reached a level which are now negatively impacting overall fish populations,” Branson said. “This has happened relatively quickly in some instances, such as with bighead and silver carp, and slower in other instances, such as with common and grass carp.”

Invasive carp were imported into the United States for many purposes including to clean algae from tanks in commercial fish farms and in sewage treatment plants. Due to releases or escapes caused by flooding, they’ve spread in recent decades and thrive in many rivers and lakes.

These species eat the food of native fish, can hurt boaters and damage equipment.

Both silver and bighead carp are plankton feeders and they deplete food used by native sport fish such as bass and crappie when they are young. One native sport fish, the paddlefish, feeds on plankton through its entire life cycle.

Branson said anglers can use invasive carp as bait if the fish are dead. It is recommended that netted bait fish be placed on ice in coolers.

The temperature shock kills the carp, but keeps them fresh for use as bait.

In addition, anglers should use caution when using live bait in any lake or river, including small community lakes.

He said unused bait from any source should be contained and put into the trash rather than dumped into the water.

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