Senate names catfish state fish
By Dan Gearino, Journal Des Moines Bureau | Posted: Thursday, March 15, 2007
DES MOINES -- At least one bottom feeder made good Wednesday at the Statehouse.
The Iowa Senate voted to make the channel catfish the official state fish. If the Iowa House decides to follow suit, this whiskered creature of the water would be added to the state's list of official symbols.
"The channel catfish was here when the pioneers arrived to settle the state and is still found in all 99 counties," said the lead sponsor, Sen. Amanda Ragan, D-Mason City.
The channel catfish is already the state fish in Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska.
A West Burlington man spent decades trying to persuade the Legislature to recognize the catfish. George Marzeck, a retired outdoors writer and artist, died last September at age 82.
"This one's for George," Ragan said.
Sen. David Hartsuch, R-Bettendorf, rose to tell his colleagues that the channel catfish is "near and dear" to his heart. This led Sen. Dave Mulder, R-Sioux Center, to joke that it makes him nervous to hear about a senator carrying around a fish close to his heart. Ragan said this would explain "that unusual smell."
The Iowa Senate voted to make the channel catfish the official state fish. If the Iowa House decides to follow suit, this whiskered creature of the water would be added to the state's list of official symbols.
"The channel catfish was here when the pioneers arrived to settle the state and is still found in all 99 counties," said the lead sponsor, Sen. Amanda Ragan, D-Mason City.
The channel catfish is already the state fish in Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska.
A West Burlington man spent decades trying to persuade the Legislature to recognize the catfish. George Marzeck, a retired outdoors writer and artist, died last September at age 82.
"This one's for George," Ragan said.
Sen. David Hartsuch, R-Bettendorf, rose to tell his colleagues that the channel catfish is "near and dear" to his heart. This led Sen. Dave Mulder, R-Sioux Center, to joke that it makes him nervous to hear about a senator carrying around a fish close to his heart. Ragan said this would explain "that unusual smell."
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typSCracist wrote on Mar 16, 2007 11:21 AM:
Taxpayer wrote on Mar 15, 2007 11:33 AM: