Bill Summary: HB 397 (2026 Session, Kentucky) – Trophy Catfish
Purpose and intent
- Establishes a statutory framework governing the possession, taking, and transport of trophy catfish in the Lower Ohio River area and related waters.
- Creates specific size-based definitions for trophy catfish and for “Lower Ohio River trophy catfish.”
- Imposes timing limits on permits and clarifies transport restrictions for trophy catfish during fishing activities.
Key definitions
- Lower Ohio River trophy catfish (area downstream of Cannelton Lock and Dam in the Ohio River and its commercially open tributaries):
- Blue or flathead catfish: minimum 40 inches in length
- Channel catfish: minimum 30 inches in length
- Trophy catfish (broader applicability, not limited to the Lower Ohio River area):
- Blue or flathead catfish: minimum 35 inches
- Channel catfish: minimum 28 inches
Major provisions
- Permits for lower Ohio River trophy catfish
- All such permits issued shall expire on May 31, 2027 (in the original text) or February 28, 2027 (per the House Committee Substitute). The date is the operative deadline by which the department must cease issuing or reissuing new permits for lower Ohio River trophy catfish after that date.
- Permits issued after the effective date of the act may not be transferred or reissued if surrendered.
- Transportation of live trophy catfish
- After enactment, transporting live trophy catfish is restricted to by-boat transport while actively fishing (commercial or recreational) with all required licenses/permits.
- An amendment (HB 397/HCS 1) explicitly allows trophy catfish caught, transported, or held for display in connection with a fishing tournament, festival, derby, or exposition to be exempt from the transport restriction; the amendment also narrows the transport rule to not apply to such events.
- Additional enforcement and penalties (amended statute references)
- The bill retains Kentucky’s broad wildlife violation penalties, including fines, potential imprisonment, license forfeiture, and damages payable to the department or landowners, with specific sections enumerated (e.g., KRS 150.990 and related subsections).
- Special monetary penalties: an additional replacement-cost payment of $500 to the department for each trophy catfish wounding or death resulting from a violation (applies to violations resulting in wounding or death of trophy catfish).
Who is affected
- Commercial and recreational fishers operating in the Lower Ohio River area and its tributaries with trophy catfish permits.
- Individuals who possess, transport, or attempt to transport trophy catfish without the appropriate permits or in violation of transport rules.
- Tournament organizers and participants, given the transport exception for displays and events added by the amendment.
- The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (the department), which issues permits and enforces penalties.
Procedural and timeline aspects
- The bill creates a hard expiration date for lower Ohio River trophy catfish permits (date differs in the original vs. substituted text; proposed expiration around early 2027).
- Prohibits transfer or reissuance of a trophy catfish permit once surrendered, post-effective date.
- The bill includes an amendment substituting language to allow transport exemptions for certain events, clarifying regulatory scope.
Notes
- The sponsor list includes several representatives, with co-sponsors from both parties.
- The bill underwent multiple amendments and committee referrals, with the Committee Substitution retaining core concepts and adjusting transport exemptions.
In short, HB 397 seeks to regulate trophy catfish via distinct size definitions, impose a sunset on Lower Ohio River trophy catfish permits, tighten live transport rules (with an event-specific exception added), and maintain a framework of penalties and enforcement aligned with Kentucky’s wildlife laws.
