Mississippi Code 1972 (2023) › Title 49 - CONSERVATION AND ECOLOGY (§§ 49-NEW-001 — 49-39-7) › Chapter 7 - HUNTING AND FISHING (§§ 49-7-1 — 49-7-351) › IN GENERAL (§§ 49-7-1 — 49-7-149) › Section 49-7-1 - Definitions and interpretations

For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions and interpretations shall govern unless otherwise provided:
(a)
The following wild animals are classed as game: bear, white-tailed deer, rabbits and squirrels.
(b)
The following wild animals are classed as fur-bearing animals: muskrats, opossums, otters, weasels, minks, raccoons and bobcats.
(c)
The following wild animals are classed as nuisance animals: wild hogs, nutria, beaver, fox, skunks and coyote.
(d)
All freshwater fish in the following families are classed as game fish: Sunfish family (Centrarchidae) - including largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu), spotted bass (Micropterus punctulatus), white crappie (Pomoxis annularis), black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus), redear sunfish (Lepomis microlophus), bluegill (Lepomis macrochiris), warmouth (Lepomis gulosus), green sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus), longear sunfish (Lepomis megalotis), redbreast sunfish (Lepomis auritus) and shadow bass (Ambloplites ariommus); Perch family (Percidae) - including walleye (Stizostedion vitreum), sauger (Stizostedion canadense) and yellow perch (Perca flavescens); Pike family (Esocidae) - including redfin pickerel (Esox americanus americanus), grass pickerel (Esox americanus vermiculatus), chain pickerel (Esox niger); Temperate bass family (Moronidae) including - white bass (Morone chrysops), yellow bass (Morone mississippiensis), striped bass (Morone saxatilis) and hybrid striped bass (Morone chrysops x Morone saxatilis and/or Morone saxatilis x Morone chrysops).
The following fish are classed as nongame gross fish: in the Herring family (Clupeidae) - gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum), threadfin shad (Dorosoma petenense); in the Catfish family (Ictaluridae) - channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus), flathead catfish (Pylodictus olivaris), yellow bullhead (Ameiurus natalis), black bullhead (Ameiurus melas), brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus); in the Gar family - spotted gar (Lepisosteus oculatus), longnose gar (Lepisosteus osseus), shortnose gar (Lepisosteus platostomus), alligator gar (Atractosteus spatula); in the Eel family (Anguillidae) - American eel (Anguilla rostrata); in the Bowfin family (Amiidae) - bowfin (Amia calva); in the Paddlefish family (Polyodontidae) - paddlefish (Polyodon spathula); in the Minnow family (Cyprinidae) - common carp (Cyprinus carpio); in the Sucker family (Catostomidae) - river carpsucker (Carpoides carpio), quillback (Carpoides cyprinus), highfin carpsucker (Carpoides velifer), spotted sucker (Minytrema melanops), blacktail redhorse (Moxostoma poecilurum), smallmouth buffalo (Ictiobus bubalus), bigmouth buffalo (Ictiobus cyprinellus), black buffalo (Ictiobus niger); in the Drum family (Sciaenidae) - freshwater drum (Aplodinotus grunniens).
All fish native to Mississippi that are not classed as game fish or nongame gross fish are classed as nongame fish.
All fish native to foreign countries and all fish native to the United States but not native to Mississippi are classed as nonnative fish.
(e)
The following are classed as game birds: geese, brant ducks, rails, coots, snipe, gallinules, moorhens, woodcock, crow, mergansers, wild turkey, quail and doves.
All other species of wild resident or migratory birds are classed as nongame birds.
(f)
Closed season: the time during which birds, animals or fish may not be taken.
(g)
Open season: the time during which birds, animals or fish may be lawfully taken.
(h)
"Commission" means the Mississippi Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.
(i)
"Department" means the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.
(j)
"Executive director" means the Executive Director of the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.
Codes, 1942, § 5867; Laws, 1932, ch. 123; Laws, 1938, ch. 364; Laws, 1946, ch. 423, § 5; Laws, 1948, ch. 251, § 1; Laws, 1962, ch. 188, § 1; Laws, 1981, ch. 475, § 1; Laws, 1991, ch. 529, § 3; Laws, 1997, ch. 451, § 1; Laws, 2001, ch. 498, § 1; Laws, 2005, ch. 373, § 1; Laws, 2006, ch. 522, § 1; Laws, 2007, ch. 499, § 1, eff. 3/27/2007.