Title 50, Fish, Game and Watercraft

(A) On the basis of investigations on nongame wildlife provided for in Section 50-15-20 and other available scientific and commercial data, and after consultation with other state agencies, appropriate federal agencies, and other interested persons and organizations, but not late…

As contained in this article: (1) "Alligator" means the species Alligator mississippiensis. (2) "Alligator propagation facility" means an enclosed area not located on public lands or waters, constructed so as to prevent the ingress and egress of alligators from surrounding public…

(A) Any person may apply to the department for a permit to engage in the business of propagating alligators for commercial purposes. A permit allows the purchase of live alligators or alligator eggs from legal sources, the sale of live alligators within the State to other departm…

(A) Upon payment of a nonrefundable application fee for applicants seeking a permit for the first time, the department shall investigate the applicant and the proposed facility. The department must prescribe applicant, facility, and operating requirements to applicants and may de…

(A) It is unlawful to possess, buy, sell, barter, ship, transport, or offer to buy, sell, barter, ship, or transfer alligator carcasses, skins, or parts unless tagged or labeled according to department regulations. (B) A person applying for an alligator propagator permit must fir…

(A) Permittees must maintain records related to the possession, source, and disposition of alligators and alligator eggs as prescribed by department regulations. These records must be kept on-site and are subject to inspection at any time by department personnel during reasonable…

Any retailer, including retail food businesses, possessing, buying, or selling alligator parts must maintain an invoice or bill of sale for each purchase or sale for a period of six months. These records must be made available for inspection at any and all reasonable hours by the…

(A) It is unlawful to alter or compromise the locking mechanism on any alligator tag. The possession of altered or fraudulent tags is unlawful. The possession of any alligator hide or carcass not tagged as prescribed by the department or any unskinned, untagged, frozen alligator …

(A) All raw alligator skins shipped within this State must be tagged. The accompanying bill of lading must show the number of skins in the shipment, the consignor, shipping point, consignee, and destination. The department must supply suitable tags to all shippers at a cost of te…

(A) It is unlawful for a person to take or possess the eggs of alligators, alligators, or their parts or skins in this State except as provided for in this article. The provisions of this section do not apply to legal finished products, alligators or their parts legally acquired …

(A) The department shall establish such programs, including acquisition of land or aquatic habitat, as are deemed necessary for management of nongame and endangered wildlife. The department shall utilize all authority vested in the department to carry out the purposes of this sec…

Notwithstanding the provisions of this article to the contrary, in the event federal or state law regulations or designations allowed by law places the alligator in the endangered species status, all permits issued pursuant to this article are null and void.

(A) Any alligator propagation facility that fails to renew the required permits or ceases operation for any reason shall have a period of three months in which to legally dispose of any remaining alligators in the facility. After three months, any remaining alligators in the faci…

(A) Unless otherwise provided for, a person who violates the provisions of this article or implementing regulations is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not less than five hundred dollars nor more than five thousand dollars, or imprisoned for not more th…

(A) To the extent not provided for in other law or by other agency, the department may adopt regulations for the placement, construction, operation, and maintenance of alligator propagation facilities, to include the following: (1) the minimum distance among alligator propagation…

(A) The department shall promulgate regulations addressing criteria for designating land as certified management area for endangered species or of species in need of management in order to qualify a taxpayer for the income tax credit provided for in Section 12-6-3520. (B) Every f…

(A) The General Assembly finds that the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) was reclassified by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service from endangered or threatened to "threatened due to similarity of appearance throughout the remainder of its range" pursuant to …

(A) It is unlawful for a person to release wildlife that is not native to this State from captivity in this State. (B) The department may promulgate regulations to prohibit or otherwise restrict certain species of nonnative wildlife in this State, including species that: (1) have…

The department shall promulgate such regulations as are necessary to carry out the purposes of this article.

(A) Except as otherwise provided in this article, it is unlawful for a person to possess, sell, barter, trade, ship, or remove from this State, or attempt to possess, sell, barter, trade, ship, or remove from this State the following native species of turtles, including parts, pr…

(A) A person who violates Section 50-15-15, 50-15-20, or 50-15-70, or who fails to procure or violates the terms of a permit issued under a regulation promulgated pursuant to these sections, is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than one thousand…

None of the provisions of this article shall be construed to apply retroactively or to prohibit importation into the State of wildlife which may be lawfully imported into the United States or lawfully taken or removed from another state or to prohibit entry into the State or poss…