Wis. Stat. § 29.407 — WI Code / Chapter 29 / Section 29.407
Transportation of fish.
Status: in_force

(1) From inland waters.

(a) No person may transport or cause to be transported, or deliver or receive or offer to deliver or receive for transportation, any game fish taken from inland waters unless the person complies with all applicable requirements under pars. (b) and (c) .

(b)

1. All fish that are subject to a size limit and are taken by hook and line may be transported if one of the following applies:

a. The fish is a whole, dressed, or filleted fish with the head and tail attached.

b. The fish is a dressed or filleted fish with the head or tail or both removed or is in the form of fillets and the person transporting the fish provides upon request a photograph described under subd. 2. that shows the fish before the head or tail or both were removed alongside a ruler or other method acceptable to the department for proving the length of the fish.

2. A photograph under subd. 1. b. shall be either a physical photograph that bears a stamp of the time and date on which the photograph was taken or a digital photograph displayed on a cellular telephone or other electronic device with metadata that indicates the time and date the image was captured. If a digital photograph is displayed on a cellular telephone or other electronic device, the conservation warden may not view, and displaying a digital photograph does not constitute consent for the conservation warden to view, any content on the telephone or other device except for the photograph and metadata required under this subdivision.

3. For any fish transported under subd. 1. , a dressed fish shall remain in one piece with the skin and scales intact and the skin and scales shall remain on a filleted fish and on a fish in the form of fillets.

(c) A box, package or container of fish transported by common carrier shall contain fish of only one owner.

(2) From outlying waters.

(a) No person may transport or cause to be transported, or deliver or receive or offer to deliver or receive for transportation, any game fish taken from outlying waters unless the person complies with all applicable requirements under pars. (b) and (d) .

(b)

1. In this paragraph, “fresh fish” means any fish that has not been frozen or smoked.

2. No fresh fish of any variety except lawfully taken suckers may be shipped from any port located on outlying waters during the closed season for the fish, except the first 3 days of the closed season.

(d)

1. All fish that are subject to a size limit and are taken by hook and line may be transported if one of the following applies:

a. The fish is a whole, dressed, or filleted fish with the head and tail attached.

b. The fish is a dressed or filleted fish with the head or tail or both removed or is in the form of fillets and the person transporting the fish provides upon request a photograph described under subd. 2. that shows the fish before the head or tail or both were removed alongside a ruler or other method acceptable to the department for proving the length of the fish.

2. A photograph under subd. 1. b. shall be either a physical photograph that bears a stamp of the time and date on which the photograph was taken or a digital photograph displayed on a cellular telephone or other electronic device with metadata that indicates the time and date the image was captured. If a digital photograph is displayed on a cellular telephone or other electronic device, the conservation warden may not view, and displaying a digital photograph does not constitute consent for the conservation warden to view, any content on the telephone or other device except for the photograph and metadata required under this subdivision.

3. For any fish transported under subd. 1. , a dressed fish shall remain in one piece with the skin and scales intact and the skin and scales shall remain on a filleted fish and on a fish in the form of fillets.

(3) Shipments from inland points. Any shipment of game fish of any variety originating at any point in this state other than ports located on outlying waters is subject to this section governing the transportation of game fish taken from inland waters.

(4) Injurious fish. No live rough fish except goldfish, dace and suckers may be transported into or within the state without a permit from the department, except any person authorized by a state contract to remove rough fish pursuant to s. 29.421 may transport rough fish taken by the person under the authority of the contract.

(5) Exemptions.

(a) This section does not apply to a person who has a valid taxidermist permit and who is transporting fish in connection with the person’s business.

(b) This section does not apply to the transportation, delivery, receipt or shipping of farm-raised fish or fish produced in a municipal fish hatchery.

History: 1971 c. 266 ; 1985 a. 29 ; 1987 a. 49 ; 1989 a. 56 ; 1991 a. 316 ; 1997 a. 27 ; 1997 a. 248 ss. 524 to 537 ; Stats. 1997 s. 29.407; 2005 a. 288 ; 2013 a. 20 ; 2023 a. 112 .