Petition to Recognise Cyprinus carpio (common, mirror, fully scaled mirror, linear, and leather carp) as a Sport Fish in Indiana
- Target:
- Indiana Department of Natural Resources Fish and Wildlife Department and Commissions
- Region:
- United States of America
- Website:
- indianacarptalk.invisionzone.com
In the state of Indiana no other species of fish is as widespread and as abundant than the common carp. “Carp are found in virtually every Indiana watershed, lake and stream. Where carp are common, they typically account for more than half the fish biomass.” (As cited in a 2008 written document by Bill James Chief of Indiana Fisheries Division of Fish and Wildlife).
Their formidable size and explosive fighting power are but just two reasons why they are gaining popularity not only in Indiana but nation wide. Most “sport” fisherman will tell you that pound for pound, carp are one of the hardest fighting freshwater fish. “They clearly have a sport fishing value.” (As cited in a 2008 written document by Bill James Chief of Indiana Fisheries Division of Fish and Wildlife)
Carp fishing is gaining more and more fishermen every day through publicity and education thanks to groups like Carp Anglers Group of America (CAG) the American Carp Society and our own Hoosier Carpers organization. Fishermen in the U.S. and Indiana now seem to realize how challenging and exciting carp fishing really is. This gaining popularity is having many states taking a second look at this misunderstood fish. Pennsylvania, Ohio, North Carolina, and West Virginia have carp specifically listed under their sport fish species, while Tennessee, Maryland and Minnesota lists carp among there sport fish species but do not specifically state they are.
In Austin Texas on Lady Bird Lake, the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department has imposed regulations allowing anglers to only keep one fish over 33 inches a day, but no daily limit on anything under that size. This proposed rule change would promote carp as an untapped fishing opportunity, particularly for bank fishing in an urban area. The first of its kind in Texas.
As you can see from these facts, carp fishing has the potential to add a new dimension to the sport of angling in Indiana and could someday rival bass as the most popular freshwater sport fish. So I ask why hasn’t this fish been recognized as a sport fish in Indiana yet? After all the chief of Indiana Fisheries Division of Fish and Wildlife stated that they clearly have sport fishing value. That should be reason enough.
If you agree that Cyprinus carpio and its sub-species should be classified and recognized as a sport fish in Indiana, then please make your opinion known by signing this petition. When complete, this petition will be delivered to the Indiana State Legislators and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Fish and Wildlife Department for there consideration.
We the undersigned request that action be taken by the Indiana Natural Resources Commission and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Fish and Wildlife Department to recognise and classify Cyprinus carpio (the Common carp) , Cyprinus carpio specularis (the Mirror carp), Cyprinus carpio nudis (the Leather carp), Cyprinus carpio regularis (the Linear carp), and Cyprinus carpio macrospecularis (the fully scaled Mirror carp) as a Sport Fish in Indiana and consider the following proposals.
Proposals pursuant and relative to A Petition to Recognise Cyprinus carpio ( The Common Carp) and its Subspecies as a Sport Fish in Indiana.
1. Impose a size limit and bag limit on any fishes mentioned in the above proposal number one for rod and reel only, The size and bag limit would be as follows.
(a.) Any and all fish 30 inches or longer must be returned to the water alive, however you may keep one fish per day of this size. (Except for methods mentioned in proposal number three).
(b.) There will be no daily bag limit for any and all fish 29 inches long and under or having a weight of 15 pounds and zero ounces or under. (Except for methods mentioned in proposal number three.)
2. If and only if bow fishing, spearing, netting, snaring, gigging, or snagging is still allowed after the mentioned fish in proposal number one is classified as a sport fish then rules and regulations need to be set for the taking of carp with the aforementioned methods.. Proposals as follows
(a) Impose a season that prohibits bow fishing, netting, gigging, snaring or spearing during the carps spawning season but legal any other time. The spawn is when the larger fish are most vulnerable to these methods.
(b.) Impose a fee for an additional license or stamp to use archery equipment, gigs, snares, spears or nets in addition to a regular Indiana fishing license to take carp by these methods.
(c.) Impose a set daily bag limit of five fish per person per day in accordance with proposal 2(a) and 2(b). One fish over 30 inches and four fish under 30 inches, or five fish under 30 inches may be taken by the methods mentioned in proposal three. This would help curb wanton waste but still help manage carp populations.
3. Wanton Waste must be enforced concerning the harvesting of carp using any of the methods mentioned for taking carp . Proposals are as follows
(a) Impose stricter fines and penalties for taking more than the daily bag limit in proposal 3(c) using archery equipment, spears, net, giggs, or snagging. Also the same applies for using a rod and reel and the bag and size limit for it in proposal 2(a) and 2(b)
(b) Impose stricter fines and penalties concerning Indiana statute 312 IAC 9-6-3 (Fish sorting and the prohibition of waste.)
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The Petition to Recognise Cyprinus carpio (common, mirror, fully scaled mirror, linear, and leather carp) as a Sport Fish in Indiana petition to Indiana Department of Natural Resources Fish and Wildlife Department and Commissions was written by Jathan I. and is in the category Law Reform at GoPetition.