An Indiana Man has pleaded responsible to importing greater than 2,600 kilos of reside channel catfish into Illinois with out a allow from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). The importation of fish and different animals with out permits poses a danger to the state’s native wildlife populations as a result of attainable unfold of ailments that may happen. The IDNR will truly present free importation permits to importers after reviewing the fish they’re bringing in so long as the fish have been examined and are confirmed to be disease-free.
Michael Sullivan of Griffith, Indiana, put in a responsible plea deal again in October to 1 depend of importing reside fish with out a allow. The case was filed in Will County, Illinois after an investigation by the Illinois Conservation Police Invasive Species Unit. The Illinois Attorney General’s Office and the Will County state’s legal professional prosecuted the case.
During the investigation, it was decided Mr. Sullivan imported the channel catfish right into a Plainfield lake three separate occasions in 2021. The channel catfish have been bought in Missippi and Alabama and brought up north. The channel castfish is a species that’s prone to viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS), which may decimate fish populations in lakes and rivers.
“While VHS has been found in the Great Lakes, currently we have not detected this disease outside of Lake Michigan in Illinois,” stated Kevin Irons, assistant chief of fisheries at IDNR.
Most folks inside the fish transportation business adjust to IDNR rules, stated Conservation Police Officer Brandon Fehrenbacher, who works within the Invasive Species Unit.
“Importing and stocking untested fish significantly increases the risks to our resources and undercuts others within the industry abiding by the law,” he stated. “These types of conservation offenses can be complex and time consuming in an already overburdened court system. IDNR is grateful the Illinois Attorney General’s Environmental Crimes Bureau and the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office dedicated the time and resources required to prosecute this case.”
Mr. Sullivan has acquired a sentence of 24 months courtroom supervision and $227 in fines and courtroom charges. He was additionally ordered to carry out 30 hours of neighborhood service and pay $10,500 in restitution to the IDNR Conservation Police Operations Assistance Fund.
“I appreciate the partnership of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the Will County state’s attorney as we worked to hold this individual accountable for illegally importing live fish and jeopardizing our environment,” stated Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul. “Our state’s ecosystems and natural resources are delicate and should be preserved for years to come.”
For extra details about fish importation legal guidelines in Illinois, go to https://ifishillinois.org/packages/aquaculture.html.
