Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hello everyone!! I'm in the process of still setting up my IBC aquaponic setup, but I wanted to get involved and introduce myself.

I've been traditional vegetable gardening for about 6 years and I wanted to start my aquaponics system years ago, just never got around to it.

I don't know if anyone can help with this, but I've been researching permits and what paperwork I need; the Dept of Agriculture said I needed a $100/year aquaculture permit that needs to be inspected yearly by the Dept of Agriculture. The Dept of Fisheries wasn't much help either, told me if I opted to use Bluegill, I would need a permit for that too; but I thought that was only for resell of game fish?

Can anyone help? They both told me the the only legal fish you can raise in MS without a permit to eat is catfish, anyone have any recommendations on this?

I live in Louisiana but here is a link to the Mississippi code.
I think the Dept of Agriculture of Mississippi would know the answer with a quick call.

http://masglp.olemiss.edu/mscode.htm

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Not sure here. I have goldfish in mine because I can easily go out to my pond if I want freshwater fish but I prefer saltwater fishing...

That being said, who's to say you couldn't raise bluegill as pets and not to eat? I mean, doesn't everyone's pet fish jump out on to the pan on occasion?

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I think they are under the impression I would like to sell my fish, which I've made quite clear I do not; I've been speaking with Dennis Riecke at Dept of Fisheries. He recommended blue catfish or flathead catfish, although he "would not recommend raising flathead catfish as they are very predatory and require live food items".

Gene Robertson at Dept of Agriculture emailed me "A permit is not required for catfish, but a cultivation and marketing permit is required for gamefish (bluegill). Gamefish in Mississippi can only be sold for stocking purposes. The guidelines will explain this more in detail." Again I believe they think I will be selling my fish; I spoke with several fish farms that were unaware of permits needed, so I might just go with these bluegill anyway, as I like catfish, but I'm not crazy about catfish all the time.

Welcome!

I think most of the people you talk to are under the impression you plan to sell your fish, and are picturing commercial aquaculture.

You should not need a permit to cultivate native species for home consumption.

In my state of NC, I did apply for the aquaculture permit. Here it is a free 5 year permit though... $100 is BS IMO to raise native fishes as food. I applied because my properity has direct access to one of the states major water sheds, though my system is neither fed by (flow-through), nor near enough the tributary to warrant more than a one time verification of the setup by the state fisheries dept, and I wanted the permit on file with the appropriate exemptions and permissions to raise tilapia (non-native/invasive) at a later date... just in case they start to show in our waters (more they they seldom do)... I want to have my covered.

Hope this helps.

J.B.