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October 18, 2007
Subject: Ban on Importation and Interstate Transport of Black Carp
Background:
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has listed the black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus) as an injurious
species under the Lacey Act. This listing, which was announced in a final rule
published in the Federal Register on October 18, 2007, makes it illegal to import live fish of this species
into the United States. Interstate transport is also prohibited. The listing does not prohibit the importation
or interstate transport of dead black carp.
Black carp, also known as snail carp, black amur, or Chinese roach, are large freshwater fish that feed almost
exclusively on mussels and other mollusks. The fish originally entered the United States in 1973 as a "contaminant"
in imported shipments of grass carp or other Chinese carp stocks. A second introduction occurred in the 1980s, when
fish farms in the Southeast began using the species for parasite control.
The Service listing of the black carp as injurious is prompted by concern about the possible impact of these fish
on the Nation's freshwater mussel populations and other aquatic species should they become established in U.S.
rivers and lakes. A single adult black carp can consume a few pounds of mussels each day.
Action:
Effective November 19, 2007, it will be illegal to import live black carp into the United States or to transport
these fish from one State to another without a permit from
the Service. Those caught unlawfully bringing these fish into the United States or transporting them across State
lines face penalties that include up to six months in prison and fines as high as $5,000 for individuals or
$10,000 for organizations.
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