Oregon Law pertaining to Possession of Piranhas

Frank Magallanes in 1995 convinced the Oregon Legislature and Senate to revise Oregon Statute 498.242 legalizing possession of  piranhas. Prior to challenging the statute Frank Magallanes also took the State of Oregon to Court. Read HERE.

ORS 498.242: Possession of walking catfish and piranha restricted. (1) Except as provided in subsections (2) and (3) of this section, no person shall possess any live fish of the various species:

(a) Of the family Clariidae, commonly known as walking catfish; or

(b) Of the subfamily Serrasalminae of the family Characidae, commonly known as caribe or piranha.

(2) A public park, zoo, museum or educational institution may possess any of the fish referred to in subsection (1) of this section for educational, medical, scientific or exhibition purposes if the organization first obtains a permit from the State Fish and Wildlife Commission. The commission may refuse to issue the permit if the commission finds that the organization requesting the permit has physical facilities for holding the fish that are inadequate to prevent their escape from confinement.

(3) Subsections (1) and (2) of this section do not prohibit the possession or require a permit for the possession of live fish that are of the genera Pygocentrus, Serrasalmus or Pristobrycon that are carnivorous fish in the subfamily Serrasalminae, from the family Characidae, commonly known as piranha or caribe. [1973 c.723 §97; 1995 c.355 §1]

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UPDATED: 06/29/2009