Keeping or releasing non-native fish in England and Wales
Introduced non-native species of fish can have direct effects on native species and their habitats. To counteract this risk, there are two regulations that cover non-native fish species:
- The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (WCA) controls the release of all non native species, and undesirable established residents, into the wild
- The Prohibition of Keeping or Release of Live Fish (Specified Species) Order 1998, made under the Import of Live Fish (England and Wales) Act 1980 (referred to as ILFA)
The species covered by the measures is shown in Table 1 and more information can be found in the leaflet "Controls on the keeping or release of non-native fish in England and Wales"
In most cases the keeping or release of non-native fish requires an individual licence. However the following scenarios are covered by a separate general licence:
- Grass carp, sturgeon / sterlet and ameiurid (ictalurid) catfish in garden ponds and indoor aquaria (other than aquaria on retail or wholesale premises)
- Red shiners and fathead minnows (Roseyreds) in indoor aquaria (other than aquaria on retail or wholesale premises)
How to apply for a license
Prior to getting your fish you should apply using form ILFA1. This application is free of charge and covers releases requiring authorisation under both ILFA and WCA. A licence is only issued where the species is considered appropriate and where site security is considered to be adequate.
Issuing can take up to 8 weeks and results in a single document. However, forms from the retail/ wholesale sector applying for the ornamental trade will be processed within 2 weeks.
Before issuing a licence the following organisations may be consulted: Environment Agency, Natural England (or the Countryside Council for Wales) and the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas).
Also please note that holding a licence permitting the keeping or release of non-native fish does not negate the need for other related authorisations such as planning permission, stocking consent and fishery registration.
Offences and penalties
An offence is committed if a person:
- Holds, keeps or releases an ILFA listed species without holding an ILFA licence;
- Fails to meet any conditions placed on an ILFA licence, including supplying an ILFA listed species to a third party who doesn’t hold an appropriate ILFA licence.
If you fail to comply with licence conditions it could be revoked and you can be prosecuted. In some cases non-compliance with legislation can command maximum penalties of up to £2,500. Also, depending on circumstances, illegally stocked fish may have to be removed and destroyed.
Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, you are committing an offence if you release or allow to escape, into the wild, any non-native fish. A person guilty of such an offence is liable to:
- On conviction, a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum;
- On conviction on indictment, a fine.
Table 1. Species covered by the Prohibition
of Keeping or Release of Live Fish
| Common Name |
Species Name |
| Salmonids |
| *Charr Species (including American Brook Trout) |
Species of the genus salvelinus (excluding the
naitve salvelinus alpinus) |
| Landlocked salmon Non-anadromous varieties of the species |
Salmo salar |
| Pacific salmon Species of the genus |
Oncorhynchus |
| Pacific trout (excl. rainbow trout) Species of the
genus |
Oncorhynchus |
| Steelhead |
Oncorhynchus mykiss |
| *Danubian Salmon & Taimen |
Species of the genus hucho |
| *Marbled Trout |
Salmo Marmoratus |
| *Whitefishes |
| *Whitefishes |
Species of the genus coregous (excl. the native
c. lavaretus and c. albula |
| Catfish |
| Silurid catfish (including wels catfish) |
Silurus |
| Ameiurid (including black bullhead & brown bullhead) |
Ameiurus |
| Ictalurid (including Channel catfish) |
(Ictalurus) |
| Sturgeons & Paddlefish |
| Sturgeon and Sterlet |
Species of the genera - acipenser, huso, scaphirhynchus
and pseudoscaphirhynchus and their crosses |
| Paddlefish |
Species of the genera - polyodon and psephurus |
| Cyprinids |
| Grass carp |
Ctenopharyngodon idella |
| Silver carp |
Hypophthalmichthys molitrix |
| Chinese black (snail eating) carp |
Mylopharyngodon piceus |
| Big-head carp |
Aristichthys nobilis |
| Schneider |
Alburnoides bipunctatus |
| Topmouth gudgeon |
Pseudorasbora parva |
| Asp |
Aspius aspius |
| Blageon |
Leuciscus souffia |
| Blue bream |
Abramis ballerus |
| Danubian bleak |
Chalcalburnus chalcoides |
| Nase |
Chondrostoma nasus |
| Toxostome (French nase) |
Chondrostoma toxostoma |
| Vimba |
Vimba vimba |
| *Barbel species |
Species of the genus barbus (excluding the native
barbus barbus) |
| Bitterling |
Rhodeus sericeus |
| *Sunbleak (sundace, belica or motherless minnow) |
Leucaspius delineatus |
| *Blacknose dace |
Rhinichthys atratulus |
| *Northern redbelly dace |
Phoxinus/Chrosomus eos |
| *Southern redbelly dace |
Phoxinus/Chrosomus erythrogaster |
| *Fathead minnow or rosey reds |
Pimephales promelas |
| *Red shiner |
Cyprinella/Notropis lutrensis |
| Perches, Basses and Sunfish |
| *Perch species |
Species of the genus perca (excl. the native
perca fluviatilis) |
| *Bass species (including striped bass, white bass and
their crosses e.g. hybrid striped bass) |
Species of the genus morone |
| *Small mouthed bass |
Micropterus dolomieu |
| Large mouthed bass |
Micropterus salmoides |
| Rock bass |
Ambloplites rupestris |
| *Sunfish (including pumpkinseed,
basses, crappies and bluegills) |
Species of the genus lepomis |
| Pike perch (zander) |
Stizostedion spp |
| Loaches and Suckers |
| *Weatherfish |
Misgurnus fossilis |
| *Chinese sucker (also known as zebra highfin, banded
shark, sucker) |
Myxocyprinus asiaticus |
| *Common white sucker |
Catostomus commersoni |
| *Blue sucker |
Cycleptus elongatus |
| *Mudminnows |
| *Eastern mudminnow |
Umbra pygmaea |
| *European mudminnow |
Umbra krameri |
| Others |
| *Pike species |
Species of the genus esox (excluding the native
esox lucius) |
| *Freshwater minnow (also known as dragon fish or pale
chub) |
Zacco platypus |
| *Snakehead (northern or Chinese |
Channa argus |
| Burbot |
Lota lota |
* Species and genera added to the Prohibition of Keeping or Release of
live Fish (specified species) Order 1998 as of February 2003
