Section 830.12  Special Regulations for the Commercial Harvest of Bighead Carp, Silver Carp, Grass Carp and Black Carp

a)         Commercial fishermen shall be allowed to harvest from the wild, and transport to a licensed wholesale aquatic life dealer, Bighead Carp, Silver Carp, Grass Carp and Black Carp, providing all of the following criteria are met:

1)         The fish are dead.  Transportation of dead fish is allowed if the fish meet the definition of "dead fish" in Section 830.5.

2)         The fish are not transported in an aerated live tank or any other manner intended to maintain the fish alive as defined in Section 830.5 unless commercial fishermen first obtain a Restricted Species Transportation Permit (RSTP) (see 17 Ill. Adm. Code 870.60). An RSTP can be obtained through the Department Aquaculture Program at the address in Section 830.11(b).

b)         With a Department approved RSTP, commercial fishermen are allowed to:

1)         transport live Grass Carp to an Illinois resident or non-resident licensed wholesale aquatic life dealer, providing this facility is not located in the counties of Will, Cook or Lake.  Fish must be processed or stored on ice immediately upon arrival at the facility;

2)         transport live Bighead Carp, Silver Carp, Grass Carp and Black Carp directly to a crib or licensed wholesale aquatic life dealer, provided that the fish are transported not more than a 15 mile radius to or from a crib or facility, or as otherwise designated on the RSTP and that the fish are processed or stored on ice immediately upon arrival at a fish processing facility.

c)         Bighead Carp, Silver Carp, Grass Carp and Black Carp may be held live in a crib provided that:

1)         they are cribbed in the waters where caught (within a 15 mile radius of the crib) and not transported upstream of a lock and dam or other barrier;

2)         they are removed within 72 hours; and

3)         all other regulations pertaining to commercial fishing, transport and commercial fishing devices are followed.

(Source:  Amended at 50 Ill. Reg. 8079, effective June 1, 2026)