November 2012

Followup from DATCP

The Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) wants fish farmers to know that they do not need to send into DATCP a copy of the fish health certificate (FHC) when importing fish or fish eggs into Wisconsin. The requirement that DATCP receives a copy of the FHC is met by the issuing authority (sending state), as that authority is required to send the FHC directly to DATCP – so it is unnecessary for farmers to send an additional copy.

 Also – All nonnative fish and fish eggs (this includes brown and rainbow trout) imported into Wisconsin for rearing in a fish farm require a permit from the DNR, along with the FHC the issuing authority sends to DATCP. The DNR has created a general permit that covers the importation of “nonnative” fish species in the aquaculture industry.” There is no fee. The permit is available online as a “fillable pdf file” at http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/fishing/documents/permits/3600542_FillExt.pdf

More information can be found at the DNR’s updated fish importation webpage: http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/fishing/aquaculture/importper.html

If you have any questions regarding the FHC or importation please contact Ron Johnson at 715-248-3657 or email – ron.johnson@uwsp.edu

Urgent – please read!

Although the import permit from DATCP was eliminated for farm to farm transfers coming into Wisconsin by Wisconsin Act 207, there is still a requirement from WDNR for an import permit for nonnative species (previously this was handled when you applied to DATCP for an import permit and DATCP then sent the nonnative species applications to DNR for approval). NR 40 prohibits all nonnative fish species except for those that are listed as aquaculture species – for those species listed below, you Still Need a Permit from DNR.

NR 40.02 (30)

“Nonnative fish species in the aquaculture industry” means

arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus), Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar),

brown trout (Salmo trutta), chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus

tshawytscha), coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), rainbow trout

(Oncorhynchus mykiss), pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha),

redear sunfish (Lepomis microlophus), tiger trout (a hybrid of

Salvelinus fontinalis and Salmo trutta) and tilapia (Tilapia spp).

If you are importing any nonnative fish species or fish eggs listed above, you must contact DNR for a permit. Contact Kate Strom Hiorns, Bureau of Fisheries Management, 608-266-0828 or Kathryn.StromHiorns@wisconsin.gov. The DNR is working to develop a permit form for these species.   

Also keep in mind, you will need a Fish Health Certificate (FHC) for all fish shipments (whether native or on the above list) into Wisconsin, and keep the FHC for your records.