Rep. Brennan Announces Re-introduction of Of-fish-ial Fish of Ohio Legislation

COLUMBUS – State Reps. Sean Patrick Brennan (D-Parma) and D.J. Swearingen (R-Huron) today introduced House Bill (HB) 312 – a bill to make the walleye the official fish of the state of Ohio. The sponsors previously introduced the bill in the 135th General Assembly, which passed the House floor by a vote of 94-4. However, the bill did not pass the Ohio Senate before the end of the general assembly.

Ohio has a state fossilized fish, fossil, flower, wildflower, mammal, insect, flower, wildflower, song, rock song, fruit, beverage, amphibian, etc., but is one of only three states, including Indiana and Iowa, that does not have a state fish. 

“The idea spawned when Matthew Kowaleski – a resident in my district – contacted me to let me know that Ohio does not have a state fish and that the walleye should be it.  I asked him to give me some time walleye think it over,” said Rep. Brennan. “All kidding aside, the walleye is responsible for about $1 billion in economic activity in our state, is the fish that nets the most charter boats in Ohio, and the Ohio Walleye Trail is the draw of about half of the 1 million anglers in our state. So considering any other fish is a red herring.”

Getting its name from its pearlescent eyes, which are due to a layer of tissue, the tapetum lucidum, which reflects light through the fish’s retinas to improve its night vision, the walleye has already been deemed the unofficial fish of Ohio by the National Wildlife Federation and the Buckeye state is already well known as the walleye capital of the world. Further, according to the Ohio Division of Wildlife, there are 95 million walleye in Lake Erie at least 2 years or older, ready to be caught and kept.  In comparison, there are roughly 600,000 white-tailed deer – our state mammal - across Ohio. Thus, there is close to 158 times more walleye in Lake Erie than there are deer in Ohio.

There are several benefits of designating a state fish, including: promoting awareness of local biodiversity and natural heritage, raising public awareness about the importance of protecting local waterways and wildlife, boosting eco-tourism and associated businesses, such as fishing charters, lodges, and wildlife tours, providing a way for schools and educators to teach students about the state’s ecology and the role of the fish in its environment, promoting industries tied to fishing, such as tackle manufacturing or fish farming, which benefit from state-level recognition, and enhancing state branding by linking the fish to the state’s identity, as seen in slogans or symbols used in marketing materials, among others benefits.

The bill is awaiting a House committee assignment.