The Strange UK Law That Makes It Illegal To Handle Salmon 'Suspiciously'

Have you ever ordered a hamburger from a restaurant menu and split it with a loved one? Well, apparently, this simple act is illegal in the state of Oklahoma, and it's not the only wacky food law out there. In Scotland, there's an old law that prohibits drunkenly handling a cow or horse, while in New York, there was legislation that made it illegal to carry ice cream cones in your pocket on Sundays. One strangely worded law in the United Kingdom involving salmon has long been the brunt of the internet's puns, and with good reason.

The Salmon Act of 1986, section 32 of the Act, is intended to prohibit the illegal catching, handling, and selling of fish. Its more formal name is the "Handling Salmon in Suspicious Circumstances" act, which is why people have been making fun of it since day one. The law technically doesn't define what qualifies as "suspicious" behavior, so there are plenty of jokes about how you'll be arrested if you wear a comically oversized trench coat and creep around "suspiciously" with a salmon in your hands. This applies to a variety of salmon and other freshwater fish, including eels, lampreys, and smelt, but no, you won't end up in jail for simply appearing "suspicious" while holding the fish.

Under the Salmon Act of 1986, "suspicious" behaviors include "the taking, killing or landing [or selling]" of fish that have been illegally obtained, according to official legislation. Even if you're not the one illegally catching the fish, if you're caught purchasing fish that you "reasonably" believe were obtained outside of the law, you'll be considered guilty in a court of law. This can mean fishing without a license, purchasing from a fisherman without a license, selling fish that you caught legally but without proper sales licensing, or even fishing in a restricted zone. If convicted, you can face hefty fines and/or imprisonment.

The "Handling Salmon in Suspicious Circumstances" act was created to regulate the overhandling and poaching of salmon in the area. Overfishing in any capacity can lead to serious long-term effects on a species' population (such as how Minnesota's state fish, the Walleye, is at risk), so the UK government put the act in place to deter illegal fishing and protect the salmon population with stricter penalties. The law remains applicable today, having been expanded to include fish other than salmon. Moreover, avoiding fines/jail time is relatively easy with proper licensing. So, don that trench coat and break out your darkest sunglasses, because although it might be laughably "suspicious," real law breaking doesn't come in the form of a funny costume.