Arkansas Administrative Code › Agency 002 - Game and Fish Commission › Rule 002.00.09-011 - Reciprocal License Agreement between Arkansas and Missouri to cease harvesting mussels in the St. Francis River across the AR-MO border

Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 6, June, 2024
Amending the Reciprocal License Agreement between Arkansas
			 and
Missouri
Due to no reported mussel harvest in Missouri for several years,
			 the state of Missouri is closing harvest of mussels. Due to the reciprocal
			 license agreement the state of Arkansas has with Missouri, we have reviewed
			 harvest of mussels in these areas. Mussel harvest data since 2001 and harvest
			 from the St. Francis River in water that might border with Missouri has been
			 low. Harvest only occurred in 2003, 2004 and 2005 within those counties that
			 border with Missouri (Clay and Greene) having the St. Francis River as the
			 state boundary. In those years, harvest from those counties contributed 0.1%,
			 0.1% and 4.6% of the total statewide harvest in pounds, respectively. The
			 percent contribution to the total value of the harvest in those same three
			 years was 0.1%, 0.2% and 5.4%, respectively. The value of the harvest in 2005
			 was strongly influenced by the volume of Bleufer harvest. Bleufer is a thinner
			 shell than most commercially harvested species and is harvested for use in the
			 colored mother-of-pearl jewelry industry because of the deep purple color of
			 the mother-of-pearl. Because it is thinner, it has a greater value per pound
			 than for the thicker shelled species, and is evident by the increased 2005
			 percent contribution to the total value of the harvest when Bleufer sold for as
			 much as $5.50/lb.
No harvest has been reported for the St. Francis River from Clay
			 or Greene counties since 2005. Therefore the Fisheries Division recommends the
			 following code book language change.
Recommended Code Book Language Proposals for Implementation
			 in 2010
30.02
RECIPROCAL
		  LICENSE AGREEMENT BETWEEN ARKANSAS AND MISSOURI-ST. FRANCIS RIVER.
The Missouri Department of Conservation and the Arkansas Game and
			 Fish Commission hereby enter into a cooperative agreement to recognize the
			 sport fishing and resident commercial fishing and licenses of the two states on
			 the flowing waters of the St. Francis River, forming a common boundary between
			 the State of Missouri and the State of Arkansas, in accordance with the
			 following provisions:
(A) A sport
		  fishing licensee or resident of either state legally exempt from license
		  requirements shall abide by the creel limits, size limits and shall use
		  trotlines and other fishing equipment in accordance with the laws and
		  regulations of the state in which the license is issued or exemption
		  authorized.
(B) A resident
		  commercial fishing licensee shall abide by the creel and size limits and shall
		  use tackle and other fishing equipment in accordance with the laws and
		  regulations of the state in which the license is issued.
(C) Licensees of either state shall have
		  unrestricted ingress and egress through the other state for the purpose of
		  fishing in accordance with the provisions of the agreement.
Fishermen licensed in only one state cannot fish e ein the
			 tributaries, bayous or backwaters of the St. Francis River in the other state
			 except as specifically provided herein. This agreement, to become effective
			 January 1, 1993, may be canceled by the Director of the Missouri Department of
			 Conservation or the Director of the Arkansas Game and Fish commission upon
			 sixty (60) days written notice.