Senate Joint Resolution 2 - Introduced SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION BY COURTNEY Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 1 A Joint Resolution designating the channel catfish as the 2 official state fish for the State of Iowa. 3 WHEREAS, the channel catfish (ictalurus punctatus) is a native 4 fish to Iowa's prairie streams and rivers inhabiting all 99 5 counties, and is one of the most abundant fish in Iowa lakes, 6 streams, and rivers; and 7 WHEREAS, the channel catfish's appearance is easily 8 recognizable by its slender scaleless body, deeply forked tail, 9 fleshy whiskers, and sharp spines; and 10 WHEREAS, the channel catfish can be caught with a wide variety 11 of tackle, most of which is inexpensive and available to all 12 anglers; and 13 WHEREAS, the channel catfish is excellent table fare, with 14 Iowa anglers reporting that they eat catfish more often than any 15 other sport fish; and 16 WHEREAS, more Iowans participate in sport fishing than any 17 other outdoor recreational sport with nearly one million anglers 18 spending approximately $400 million annually and generating $1.2 19 billion in economic activity; and 20 WHEREAS, the channel catfish is the most preferred fish among 21 Iowa anglers, reaching trophy size above 30 pounds and providing 22 pole=bending action, with over four million caught annually; and 23 WHEREAS, the channel catfish is an important fish to 24 Mississippi river commercial fishers with nearly 500,000 pounds 1 of channel catfish marketed each year from the river; NOW 2 THEREFORE, 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 2604XS 82 5 av/je/5 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. STATE FISH DESIGNATED. The channel catfish 1 2 (ictalurus punctatus) is designated and shall be officially 1 3 known as the state fish of Iowa. 1 4 Sec. 2. APPROPRIATE REPRESENTATIONS. The director of the 1 5 department of cultural affairs shall obtain appropriate 1 6 pictures and other representations of the channel catfish and 1 7 shall display the pictures and representations in an 1 8 appropriate place in the state historical museum. 1 9 Sec. 3. OFFICIAL REGISTER. The editor of the Iowa 1 10 official register shall include an appropriate picture and 1 11 commentary of the channel catfish in the Iowa official 1 12 register, along with the pictures of the state rock, state 1 13 flower, state bird, and state tree. 1 14 EXPLANATION 1 15 This joint resolution designates the channel catfish as the 1 16 official state fish of Iowa. The director of the department 1 17 of cultural affairs shall obtain pictures and other 1 18 appropriate representations of the state fish and display the 1 19 pictures and information in the state historical museum. The 1 20 editor of the Iowa official register shall include a picture 1 21 of the state fish along with pictures of the state rock, state 1 22 flower, state bird, and state tree. 1 23 LSB 2604XS 82 1 24 av:rj/je/5