Are leopard sharks baned in all 50 states?

[shark bait]

Are leopard sharks baned in all 50 states? I ask this as a friend in vegas picked one up a while back for $50.00 and it was a baby. But in CA I know it is against the law to catch them and eat them, as per the CPC and H&S law. As where the CPC states collection of Garabaldi is prohibited, the CPC states colection, or hunting of the leopard shark for reasons other than profesional collection is prohibited. OK some say this means you cant even own it unless you are a marine center or fish aquarium. But at what size is it an aquarium for display. Or is this still just against the law. I have meet the local Fish and game officer and he says it is ok for collection, but not to keep. I said in my home tank and he could not anwser. But I would have to find one while diving and one for a 300 gal. So it might not even be someting I would do to the fish. I have seen it done and It worked out fine, but still a move that might only happen if I had a larger tank and a 1hp chiller. So what do you all think????????

 

[shark bait]

I have decided not to get a leopard shark due to the size it gets and the issues around it. Federal law trumps state law and the federal law prohibits any leopard shark under 3 feet.
http://cbs5.com/local/local_story_039154112.html read this.

 

[lv-reefer]

I actually bought my Leopard back in 1991 in California at a pet shop in Glendora for $50. He was about 11 inches, awesome fish. That was back when they were legal and yes, the minimum length now is 36 inches.

 

[shark bait]

Tom Is That You??????????????

 

[viper_930]

Originally Posted by shark bait
I have decided not to get a leopard shark due to the size it gets and the issues around it. Federal law trumps state law and the federal law prohibits any leopard shark under 3 feet.
http://cbs5.com/local/local_story_039154112.html read this.
Boy, that article hits close to home for me.

Don't put a leopard shark in your tank or stomach if it's under 36".

 

[shark bait]

I posted this over a year ago durring my research of sharks and was looking for info about this shark and the size at which it could be kept from members of the board, as sometimes what is in a book is just hear say, and many of the public aquariums in Ca have very large systems like Birch in La Jolla. But this is a poor choice for the home tank and is the reason it is banned under 3 feet. I remember them in the stores and no one know much about them, and thought their size could be curbed by size of the tank as with other fish. Can you belive that was less than 10 years ago???

 

[shark bait]

Originally Posted by LV-Reefer
I actually bought my Leopard back in 1991 in California at a pet shop in Glendora for $50. He was about 11 inches, awesome fish. That was back when they were legal and yes, the minimum length now is 36 inches.

dude man dude I KNOW ITS YOU wa sa beee.. You got to see my tank now, it is tank #5 but is by far the badest of all the tanks I have had to date. Going to dive La Jolla as soon as the temp hits 67 I need to start collecting shark food For when Sea World calls with this summers eggs.

 

[lv-reefer]

Yep... that's me... holy crap.. that was a year ago. I'll have to plan a trip to Cali and check out your new tank... hopefully by then you'll have your shark.

 

[krj-1168]

Yes - it's still possible to get a Leopard Shark - but only if it's at least 36" long. Last I saw prices on them - they ranged from 300-1,000 bucks each.
So if you don't have the room to house a 3 foot shark - then you certainly don't have nearly the room to house a 5-6' long adult Leopard.

 

[mike22cha]

Leapord Sharks are so cool. They had a thing at Sea World Orlando where there was a huge tank above you and under you(not connected like a tunnel. Just two huge tanks). The bottom had a school of lookdowns and the top was bonnetheads and leapords. Do public aquariums or places like seaworld get to capture leapord sharks under 36" or is it the same rule for them too?

 

[brenden]

Mike22cha - I think since its a federal law, the aquariums need to follow the same guidlines. I would hope so, but they may have some pull. Really its not to hard for a private aquarist to go down to San Fransisco Bay, through a line in the water, catch a Leapoard under 36" and take it home. Its illegal, but I am sure more than one person have done it.

 

[mike22cha]

So do Public Aquariums and places like SeaWorld just catch them, like I asume every other fish, straight from the ocean? I hope not. Most of the ones saw I'm pretty sure are over 3ft. but can a public aquarium hold fish that others can't hold legally?

 

[brenden]

Mike22cha - I would assume most large reputable aquariums have their own private collectors with all the right permits ect. But these collectors obviously go into the oceans and take the fish out and fill the stocking lists the aquariums give them. I am sure it has happened before where aquariums have illegally sized Leopard Sharks and just nobody notices, or they hold them in holding tanks until they grow.

 

[krj-1168]

It's illegal for a private individual to collect Leopards under 36".
But many major Public Aquariums - like Many major Zoos have special premits & licenses to collect animals which prohibit, or impossible for normal private individuals to collect.
For example - it's impossible & highly illegal for a private individual to catch or own a Bull Shark, a Tiger Shark, a Great White Shark, or a Whale Shark. But it possible for major Public aquariums to collect them and keep them.

 

[mike22cha]

Thanks you guys. I was just wondering how the system works.

 

[brenden]

"The way it works at public aquariums is this: They have permits that allow the display of restricted animals. Usually the permit lists the number and sizes that the aquarium is requesting to keep and upon approval from the state they can legally have them. Here in CA you just need to apply to the Dept. of Fish and Game and if you qualify you'll get a permit to house and/or collect leopards of whatever size you specify. I recently collected two 12 inchers for a nature center in central CA under the authority of a Scientific Collecting Permit. This is the permit most educational institutions use when acquiring animals. Most private individuals will not qualify for any of these permits so don't waste your time. If you are affiliated with a zoo, aquarium, school, nature center, etc. you may actually be able to get a permit. Just don't ask to collect a hundred small leopards. The Dept. of Fish and Game won't fall for it!"
There is the break down for you.

 

[mike22cha]

Hey I found a guy telling somebody to tell me at shark and ray central. Thanks for passing that on.