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Senate Joint Resolution 6 - IntroducedA Bill ForA Joint Resolution 1designating the channel catfish as the
2official state fish for the state of Iowa.
3WHEREAS, the channel catfish (ictalurus punctatus) is a
4native fish to Iowa’s prairie streams and rivers inhabiting
5all 99 counties, and is one of the most abundant fish in Iowa
6lakes, streams, and rivers;and
7WHEREAS, the channel catfish’s appearance is easily
8recognizable by its slender scaleless body, deeply forked tail,
9fleshy whiskers, and sharp spines;and
10WHEREAS, the channel catfish can be caught with a wide
11variety of tackle, most of which is inexpensive and available
12to all anglers;and
13WHEREAS, the channel catfish is excellent table fare, with
14Iowa anglers reporting that they eat catfish more often than
15any other sport fish;and
16WHEREAS, more Iowans participate in sport fishing than any
17other outdoor recreational sport with approximately 500,000
18anglers spending approximately $300 million annually and
19generating $1.2 billion in economic activity;and
20WHEREAS, the channel catfish is the most preferred fish
21among Iowa anglers, reaching trophy size above 30 pounds and
22providing pole-bending action, with over 4 million caught
23annually;and
24WHEREAS, the channel catfish is an important fish to
25Mississippi River commercial fishers with approximately
26400,000 pounds of channel catfish marketed each year from the
27river;and
28WHEREAS, former Senator Eugene S. “Gene” Fraise, who
29passed away on November 27, 2020, served in the Iowa Senate
30for 27 years after having served on the Lee County Board of
31Supervisors for 7 years;and
32WHEREAS, during Senator Fraise’s time in office, he
33advocated for the channel catfish to be designated the
34official state fish due to its long history in the state
35and the economic impact the fish has on Iowa’s aquaculture
36industry;NOW THEREFORE,
37BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. STATE FISH DESIGNATED. The channel catfish
2(ictalurus punctatus) is designated and shall be officially
3known as the Eugene S. Fraise memorial state fish of Iowa.
4 Sec. 2. APPROPRIATE REPRESENTATIONS. The director of
5the Department of Cultural Affairs shall obtain appropriate
6pictures and other representations of the channel catfish
7and shall display the pictures and representations in an
8appropriate place in the state historical museum.
9 Sec. 3. OFFICIAL REGISTER. The editor of the Iowa official
10register shall include an appropriate picture and commentary of
11the channel catfish in the Iowa official register, along with
12the pictures of the state rock, state flower, state bird, and
13state tree.
14EXPLANATION
15The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
16the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
17This joint resolution designates the channel catfish as the
18official Eugene S. Fraise memorial state fish of Iowa. The
19director of the department of cultural affairs shall obtain
20pictures and other appropriate representations of the state
21fish and display the pictures and information in the state
22historical museum. The editor of the Iowa official register
23shall include a picture of the state fish along with pictures
24of the state rock, state flower, state bird, and state tree.
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2official state fish for the state of Iowa.
3WHEREAS, the channel catfish (ictalurus punctatus) is a
4native fish to Iowa’s prairie streams and rivers inhabiting
5all 99 counties, and is one of the most abundant fish in Iowa
6lakes, streams, and rivers;and
7WHEREAS, the channel catfish’s appearance is easily
8recognizable by its slender scaleless body, deeply forked tail,
9fleshy whiskers, and sharp spines;and
10WHEREAS, the channel catfish can be caught with a wide
11variety of tackle, most of which is inexpensive and available
12to all anglers;and
13WHEREAS, the channel catfish is excellent table fare, with
14Iowa anglers reporting that they eat catfish more often than
15any other sport fish;and
16WHEREAS, more Iowans participate in sport fishing than any
17other outdoor recreational sport with approximately 500,000
18anglers spending approximately $300 million annually and
19generating $1.2 billion in economic activity;and
20WHEREAS, the channel catfish is the most preferred fish
21among Iowa anglers, reaching trophy size above 30 pounds and
22providing pole-bending action, with over 4 million caught
23annually;and
24WHEREAS, the channel catfish is an important fish to
25Mississippi River commercial fishers with approximately
26400,000 pounds of channel catfish marketed each year from the
27river;and
28WHEREAS, former Senator Eugene S. “Gene” Fraise, who
29passed away on November 27, 2020, served in the Iowa Senate
30for 27 years after having served on the Lee County Board of
31Supervisors for 7 years;and
32WHEREAS, during Senator Fraise’s time in office, he
33advocated for the channel catfish to be designated the
34official state fish due to its long history in the state
35and the economic impact the fish has on Iowa’s aquaculture
36industry;NOW THEREFORE,
37BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. STATE FISH DESIGNATED. The channel catfish
2(ictalurus punctatus) is designated and shall be officially
3known as the Eugene S. Fraise memorial state fish of Iowa.
4 Sec. 2. APPROPRIATE REPRESENTATIONS. The director of
5the Department of Cultural Affairs shall obtain appropriate
6pictures and other representations of the channel catfish
7and shall display the pictures and representations in an
8appropriate place in the state historical museum.
9 Sec. 3. OFFICIAL REGISTER. The editor of the Iowa official
10register shall include an appropriate picture and commentary of
11the channel catfish in the Iowa official register, along with
12the pictures of the state rock, state flower, state bird, and
13state tree.
14EXPLANATION
15The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
16the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
17This joint resolution designates the channel catfish as the
18official Eugene S. Fraise memorial state fish of Iowa. The
19director of the department of cultural affairs shall obtain
20pictures and other appropriate representations of the state
21fish and display the pictures and information in the state
22historical museum. The editor of the Iowa official register
23shall include a picture of the state fish along with pictures
24of the state rock, state flower, state bird, and state tree.
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