Here in Indiana, you need an Importation Permit from the Indiana Board of Animal Health before you can bring fish into the state. That has to be applied for AT LEAST 2 weeks prior to moving the fish. The person requesting the permit has to fill out a form and furnish health inspection reports to the state prior to getting the required permit. You have to have that permit in the vehicle with you while transporting the fish.
I know of one hatchery in Michigan that worked out a deal with the state of Indiana. For that hatchery, an individual can bring back fish for their personal pond without applying for an Importation Permit, they "ride" on that hatcheries permit.
For instance, if you want to bring Blue Cats in to the state, you need a permit for them. If you are at the hatchery picking them up and see that they have another species of fish that you want, you cannot tell them to throw even one of them in with the Blue Cats. Doing so and you not having that fish species listed on your importation permit will result in a violation. For instance, if I have a permit to import Fathead Minnows and there is a bullhead in with the Fatheads or a 9 Spine Stickleback, and that is not on the importation permit, I can get in big trouble for it. That is why finding suppliers that have "clean" fish is so important to us fish haulers/producers.
Yes to the Lacy Act violation, and fines for that can start at $250K. Plus it's a Federal thing, so it's held in Federal Court.........
The regulations regarding moving fish into any state that touches one of the Great Lakes is much more restrictive than moving fish into a state that does not touch one of the Great Lakes.
