Koi law.

[Dmitry]

I'm wondering if someone knows about koi regulations in CT.
I have pond with stream going in and out.Its been brought to my attention that it might be illegal to have koi in situation like this .I'm new to this and it's never crossed my mind.
I remember seeing koi or gold fish in big pond in a center of Hartford, seen it in pond with stream at nearby golf course.
Wondering if it's legal

 

[Dmitry]

Google search didn't return any reliable info , just some articles about koi seized in main,carp population in CT etc.

 

[JohnHuff]

Contact your state wildlife and fisheries department.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Unfortunately if that is not your personal stream and its a natural stream, you can't put koi or goldfish in it. I don't know your states laws specifically, but I'd have to imagine that its not legal anywhere in the country. It would basically be like going to a random river and throwing koi in.

 

[HARO]

Please, NEVER put any exotic fish into any water that it could escape from! That's how our entire continent became contaminated with carp.
John

 

[crsublette]

Dmitry, I would be quite cautious when introducing fish into major streams, rivers, and water bodies.

Koi, which is called cyprinus carpio, that is actually a carp, is quite an invasive fish species and an incredibly hardy fish that can survive most freshwater water temperatures and eats just about everything. This fish species have been flat out banned in all of Australia due to the fish trashing all of their bays causing massive kills of particular aquatic creatures that would survive in the plant mass that the koi has consumed.

This is why koi is always restricted to ponds that are distinctly separated from any major body of water and major rivers/streams.

I know that, in some northeastern states, hobbyists have to have an exotic fish license so they can keep koi in just their personal ponds and aquariums, which this license is quite expensive due to all of the other required licenses in order to obtain just the exotic fish license. Of course, this does not stop hobbyist from crossing state lines to bring fish to their personal pond, but, if in the wrong State, then the state agencies can really get after them with quite significant monetary penalties.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

I hope this doesn't destroy your dream of having a Koi pond. Maybe you'll be able to build a separate pond somewhere else in your yard? Or, I know you want Koi but maybe you can make a smaller pond and have Shubunkins or Comets instead. You may have to make some sacrifices but don't give up. You can keep your current pond a nature pond and then you'll have the best of both worlds. That's my dream.

 

[Dave 54]

I'm wondering if someone knows about koi regulations in CT.
I have pond with stream going in and out.Its been brought to my attention that it might be illegal to have koi in situation like this .I'm new to this and it's never crossed my mind.
I remember seeing koi or gold fish in big pond in a center of Hartford, seen it in pond with stream at nearby golf course.
Wondering if it's legal

Thats a no no I'm afraid you could end up in court with a criminal record with a hefty fine and or imprisonment dependant on the laws of your state.
Just look at how the koi has invaded much of New zealand :-

http://www.doc.govt.nz/conservation...l-pests/animal-pests-a-z/fish/facts/koi-carp/

Dave

 

[brandonsdad02]

I am positive that if it is a natural stream or creek, its against the EPA to dam it up with out having the proper permits from the state authority. They keep tight tabs on all of that and will often fly or be on foot checking things out if it doesn't look right.

 

[JohnHuff]

Koi, which is called cyprinus carpio, that is actually a carp, is quite an invasive fish species and an incredibly hardy fish that can survive most freshwater water temperatures and eats just about everything.

Interesting that when we're trying to keep Koi alive, they're the first to die, need extremely good quality water and filtration, etc., yet when we look at them as an invasive spieces, they are incredibly hardy.

 

[Dave 54]

Interesting that when we're trying to keep Koi alive, they're the first to die, need extremely good quality water and filtration, etc., yet when we look at them as an invasive spieces, they are incredibly hardy.

Yes thats true John I noted that too but they always say the mutts are the stronger of the two , the more perfect the koi the weaker the immune system I suppose but that doesnt truck does it or is it the imtensive way these posh koi are brought on
I know there has been attempts of late to bulster the gene pool by going back to the magio or eating fish and I believe the Indonesian River carp, but whatever the cause they arent as strong

Dave

 

[Dave 54]

Dmitry when you say Hartford are you talking about the UK?

Dave

 

[JohnHuff]

Dmitry when you say Hartford are you talking about the UK?
Dave

There's a Hartford in CT, actually the only one I know

 

[crsublette]

Interesting that when we're trying to keep Koi alive, they're the first to die, need extremely good quality water and filtration, etc., yet when we look at them as an invasive spieces, they are incredibly hardy.

Yep, goes to show ya that there is much more "happening" in the water of these much bigger bodies of water.

 

[VanDiesil]

Yes thats true John I noted that too but they always say the mutts are the stronger of the two , the more perfect the koi the weaker the immune system I suppose but that doesnt truck does it or is it the imtensive way these posh koi are brought on
I know there has been attempts of late to bulster the gene pool by going back to the magio or eating fish and I believe the Indonesian River carp, but whatever the cause they arent as strong

Dave

The issue is Dave that in a Koi pond, there is a lot less water area and natural biological filtration than in a river or much larger lake. It is the laws of dilution. If you overstock a pond with an acre surface area, then the same problems would occur as overstocking a domestic pond of much smaller size. If the biomass exceeds what the natural filtration can handle then problems occur.

The only reason that the Australian Government class carp as "invasive" is that they are not thought of as a "sport" or "good eating" fish there, where as in Europe they are classed as a sport fish in almost every country as well as "good eating" in Eastern Europe. Same as in the USA, they are not classed as "sport" fish because they are not targeted using imitation lures like Bass, Walleye, Muskie, etc are. The Asian Carp are a completely different species and the way they have infested a lot of the river systems in the USA is one key reason for regulations regarding the stocking of fish, native or non-native in to non-enclosed waterways. The EA and DEFRA/CEFAS in the UK will through the book at anybody being caught stocking fish without paperwork into anywhere other than a PRIVATE pond or fish tank, and even then there are regulations to ponds within 100 metres of a natural waterway due to risk of escapee's due to flooding or other wildlife removing the fish from the pond.