{"links":{"self":"https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/766419.json"},"data":{"type":"petition","id":766419,"attributes":{"action":"Remove Wels catfish non-native invasive status, review restrictions on stocking","background":"We want the Government to reclassify Wels catfish (Silurus glanis) from \"non-native invasive\" to \"non-native\" only, similar to Common Carp. Alongside this, review and update the Import of Live Fish Act 1980 to allow more flexible licensing for stocking in managed, low-risk fisheries across the UK.","additional_details":"Wels catfish have been in UK waters since 1880. Despite their \"invasive\" classification, they have existed in managed fisheries for over 140 years without, in our view, damaging local ecosystems. We believe they provide a significant economic boost to the UK angling industry and rural economies. Following the British Record Fish Committee’s recent decision to accept a Wels record, we think that our proposed change to classification would better reflect their status as a valued sporting fish rather than an invasive alien species.","committee_note":"","state":"open","signature_count":29,"closing_date":"2026-11-07","created_at":"2026-04-03T20:12:37.246Z","updated_at":"2026-05-11T12:21:20.000Z","rejected_at":null,"opened_at":"2026-05-07T10:05:30.732Z","closed_at":null,"moderation_threshold_reached_at":"2026-04-03T21:51:10.000Z","response_threshold_reached_at":null,"government_response_at":null,"debate_threshold_reached_at":null,"debate_scheduled_on":null,"scheduled_debate_date":null,"debate_outcome_at":null,"creator_name":"Stuart Record","rejection":null,"government_response":null,"debate":null,"departments":[{"acronym":"DEFRA","name":"Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs","url":"https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs"}],"topics":[],"signatures_by_country":[{"name":"United Kingdom","code":"GB","signature_count":29}],"signatures_by_constituency":[{"name":"Amber Valley","ons_code":"E14001066","mp":"Linsey Farnsworth MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Bristol East","ons_code":"E14001132","mp":"Kerry McCarthy MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Bromley and Biggin Hill","ons_code":"E14001137","mp":"Peter Fortune MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Central Suffolk and North Ipswich","ons_code":"E14001156","mp":"Patrick Spencer MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Croydon West","ons_code":"E14001188","mp":"Sarah Jones MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Daventry","ons_code":"E14001192","mp":"Rt Hon Stuart Andrew MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard","ons_code":"E14001206","mp":"Alex Mayer MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Erewash","ons_code":"E14001228","mp":"Adam Thompson MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Hemel Hempstead","ons_code":"E14001278","mp":"David Taylor MP","signature_count":5},{"name":"Hitchin","ons_code":"E14001289","mp":"Alistair Strathern MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Mid Norfolk","ons_code":"E14001365","mp":"George Freeman MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Newton Abbot","ons_code":"E14001381","mp":"Martin Wrigley MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"North Bedfordshire","ons_code":"E14001384","mp":"Richard Fuller MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"North Devon","ons_code":"E14001387","mp":"Ian Roome MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Pendle and Clitheroe","ons_code":"E14001422","mp":"Jonathan Hinder MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Richmond and Northallerton","ons_code":"E14001444","mp":"Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Southend East and Rochford","ons_code":"E14001501","mp":"Mr Bayo Alaba MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Stoke-on-Trent South","ons_code":"E14001522","mp":"Dr Allison Gardner MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Stourbridge","ons_code":"E14001524","mp":"Cat Eccles MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Torbay","ons_code":"E14001551","mp":"Steve Darling MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Widnes and Halewood","ons_code":"E14001584","mp":"Derek Twigg MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Worcester","ons_code":"E14001597","mp":"Tom Collins MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch","ons_code":"S14000072","mp":"Katrina Murray MP","signature_count":1},{"name":"Kilmarnock and Loudoun","ons_code":"S14000110","mp":"Lillian Jones MP","signature_count":1}],"signatures_by_region":[{"name":"North West","ons_code":"B","signature_count":2},{"name":"Yorkshire and The Humber","ons_code":"D","signature_count":1},{"name":"East Midlands","ons_code":"E","signature_count":3},{"name":"West Midlands","ons_code":"F","signature_count":3},{"name":"East of England","ons_code":"G","signature_count":11},{"name":"London","ons_code":"H","signature_count":2},{"name":"South West","ons_code":"K","signature_count":4},{"name":"Scotland","ons_code":"M","signature_count":2}],"other_parliamentary_business":[]}}}