I am looking for edible freshwater fish that can be raised in a large tank, can tolerate a wide temperature range, but are not a protected species in NM. Those protected species are:
Salmonidae (trout)
Ictaluridae (catfish)
Percichthyidae (bass)
Centrarchidae (sunfish, crappie and bass)
Esocidae (pike)
Percidae (walleye pike and perch)
Oreochromis (tilapia)
That doesn't leave very much that I can think off. American eels qualify, but are difficult to obtain. Sturgeon is too expensive. Carp may be problematic to get an import permit for.
All native North American catfish (Ictaluridae: bullhead, channel, blue) are protected in New Mexico. That means that you need an aquaculture permit to keep them in a tank with a whole slew of reporting requirements that I find unrealistic for a hobbyist.
Are there any non-ictaluridae catfish that can be legally obtained in the US, that can be kept in large tank (250 / 330 gallons) and that grow large enough to raise them as a food fish?
TIA
