Endangered Fish of Arkansas
The six fish on the state endangered list, with scientific names and the Code section.
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Fish on the Arkansas Endangered Species List
Code Addendum P1.01 names 6 fish among the animals listed as endangered in Arkansas: Ozark Cavefish, Arkansas Darter, Leopard Darter, Yellowcheek Darter, Arkansas River Shiner and Pallid Sturgeon. The list took effect on July 1, 2024. Most are small stream and cave fish, the pallid sturgeon of the big rivers being the exception, and none of them appears in the Code definition of game fish.
| Fish | Scientific name | Code | In effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ozark Cavefish | Amblyopsis rosae | P1.01 | July 1, 2024 |
| Arkansas Darter | Etheostoma cragini | P1.01 | July 1, 2024 |
| Leopard Darter | Percina pantherina | P1.01 | July 1, 2024 |
| Yellowcheek Darter | Etheostoma moorei | P1.01 | July 1, 2024 |
| Arkansas River Shiner | Notropis girardi | P1.01 | July 1, 2024 |
| Pallid Sturgeon | Scaphirhynchus albus | P1.01 | July 1, 2024 |
Arkansas Endangered Species List, P1.01, effective July 1, 2024 (Code text), read November 8, 2026.
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Darters and the cavefish are rarely hooked, but bait seines and minnow traps in Ozark and Ouachita streams can pick up darters. Release any fish you cannot name at once, in the water where it was caught. Code 26.27 also limits where wild-caught bait may be taken and used.
Game fish rules live elsewhere: the statewide limits page and the water exception list cover every species anglers may keep.
How the Code defines Arkansas game fish
GAME FISH – Alligator gar, American eel, Florida bass, largemouth bass, Neosho bass, spotted bass, smallmouth bass, bluegill, longear sunfish, redear sunfish, green sunfish, warmouth, Ozark bass, rock bass, shadow bass, white bass, striped bass, black crappie, white crappie, blue catfish, channel catfish, flathead catfish, brook trout, brown trout, cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, tiger trout, walleye, sauger, paddlefish, shovelnose sturgeon, and hybrids of these species.
AGFC Code of Regulations, 01.00-C (policy text), read November 8, 2026.
Bluff, cove and float-stream scenes for Endangered Fish of Arkansas
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Photo: NPS, Public domain
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Photo: The original uploader was Bobak at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 2.5
Photo: Brandonrush, CC0 1.0
Questions on Arkansas endangered fish
How many fish are on the Arkansas endangered list?
6: Ozark Cavefish, Arkansas Darter, Leopard Darter, Yellowcheek Darter, Arkansas River Shiner and Pallid Sturgeon.
Which Code section lists them?
Code Addendum P1.01, the Arkansas Endangered Species List.
Can I keep a darter as bait?
Keeping one is not allowed; slip any listed darter back into the stream it came from.
Is the Ozark cavefish on the list?
Yes. Ozark Cavefish (Amblyopsis rosae) is on it.
Is pallid sturgeon on the list?
Yes, Pallid Sturgeon is on it.
Are any of these game fish?
No. None of them is in the Code 01.00-C game fish definition.
When did this list take effect?
July 1, 2024, per the Code page.
Where are the rules for fish I may keep?
On the Arkansas license and limits page and the water-specific limits page.