Courtesy of NAA:

The Upstream Aquatic Institute, also known as Upstream Policies, was created and supported by a UK-based philanthropic organization, Charity Entrepreneurship, that funded them at $26K in 2023. Please visit Presenting: 2023 Incubated Charities (Round 1) – Charity Entrepreneurshipand then scroll down to the Upstream Policies profile.

A publication by Charity Entrepreneurship entitled Ban the Use of Live-Bait Fish consists of an analysis of the use of bait fish in the U.S. and concludes with recommendations to ban the use of live-bait fish. The guide provides a step-by-step action plan to conduct what the charity terms as an “intervention.”  The authors wrote, “…our best guess is that north-eastern and eastern [U.S.] states with a moderately sized industry are likely to be the most promising states to work in, including but not limited to: Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Florida.”

Upstream Policies conducted and is using a flawed pilot study of baitfish (golden shiners [Notemigonus crysoleucas], mud minnows [Fundulus heteroclitus], sheepshead minnows [Cyprinodon variegatus], and two unidentified fish) collected from nine retail bait stores in Delaware to exaggerate the pathogen risks associated with the use of live-bait fish. The pilot study by Upstream Policies is questionable for the following reasons:

1. The number of positive fish identified in this study (based on a sample size of 10 fish per shop) for three viral pathogens (viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus, spring viremia of carp virus and koi herpes virus) would indicate a high prevalence of these pathogens in source populations. While these three pathogens are known to occur in the U.S. in susceptible species, this level of infection in wild populations is not supported by current evidence.
2. The pilot study implies koi herpes virus was found in the species tested – all of which are not previously known to be susceptible to koi herpes virus and no other scientific evidence is known to support these claims.
3. Without knowing more about the sources of baitfish or the retailer biosecurity practices – it is impossible to know what the real epidemiology is of these detections if they are in fact correct.
4. The detailed procedures used to collect tissue, process samples, and run the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays must be examined to determine if laboratory-related issues were a factor in the findings.

Upstream Policies has refused to cooperate to independently confirm the pathogens they claim to have found. They are using their pilot study to trigger the introduction of legislation to ban live bait fish imports in New Hampshire and New York.

• The New Hampshire legislature is holding a public hearing on Feb 12th to consider HB720 introduced on January 9, 2025 to ban bait fish importation by Representatives Patrick Long and Ellen Read.
• New York legislation, A03330, to ban baitfish importation was introduced January 27, 2025 by Assembly Member Alex Bores.

NAA Recommends:

• Read the publication Ban the Use of Live Bait Fish to become familiar with their goals and tactics.
• Check your state for new, introduced legislation banning bait fish importation.  This is simple to do.  Search for your legislature website and use the provided search box to find introduced bills using the search terms “bait fish” or “fish.”
• Inform the bill sponsors of the importance of live bait to recreational fishing and the questions surrounding the Upstream Policies pilot study.
• Contact your state fishery and agriculture agencies to inform them of the legislation and emphasize the bill supporters are not concerned with farmed aquatic animal care or improved farmed animal health management.
• Be familiar with pathogen reporting procedures established by state authorities and U.S. Department of Agriculture. Please visit: National Animal Health Surveillance – National List of Reportable Animal Diseases.
• Contact the NAA Office, naa@nationalaquaculture.org, to inform us of legislation introduced to ban live bait fish.