Bill > HB720

This bill prohibits the importation of live fish of any species into New Hampshire for use as bait, effectively banning out-of-state live bait fish. The bill repeals and reenacts an existing statute (RSA 214:34-d) to create a comprehensive prohibition on bringing live fish into the state for bait purposes. Additionally, the bill amends another existing statute (RSA 214:35) to remove references to live fish in the rules governing bait dealers, now focusing only on aquatic invertebrates. The bill maintains existing regulations for bait dealers, including daily and possession limits for aquatic invertebrates (20 quarts per day and 100 quarts maximum for retailers, and 100 quarts per day and 200 quarts maximum for wholesalers), and explicitly preserves the ability to sell garden worms and night crawlers. The legislation is set to take effect on January 1, 2026, giving stakeholders time to prepare for the new restrictions. At the time of introduction, a complete fiscal note was pending, with the Office of Legislative Budget Assistant awaiting additional information from the Fish and Game Department.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/legacy/bs2016/bill_status.aspx?lsr=0666&sy=2025&sortoption=&txtsessionyear=2025&txtbillnumber=HB720