Growing up in Ohio, fishing has been more than just a hobby for me—it's an essential part of my life and the lives of many in our community. We've shared the joy of catching impressive catfish in our local waterways, dreaming of landing that grand trophy fish. However, these opportunities are now being snatched away, thanks to the burgeoning practice of selling wild-caught catfish to pay lakes.

The catfish in these lakes have an extremely high mortality rate. When you place a large catfish that requires hundreds of acres of water to live and thrive into a pond that would do well to support a bluegill population, they die very quickly without any other negative externalities. Now, we have to add in the other negatives stacked against them. A quick Google search will show you how many people pack into these pay ponds. Since these fish are essentially starved to death, they will eat just about anything thrown in front of them. After being caught, mishandled, and deprived of basic resources they need to survive, they die en masse regularly. 

Pay lakes, while seemingly innocuous, are causing irreversible damage to Ohio’s aquatic ecosystems. These lakes purchase wild-caught catfish, confining them to environments where they are under fed, overly handled, and stressed to the brink of death. As a result, these magnificent creatures never return to the rivers and lakes they originally called home, and they are unable to contribute to the natural lifecycle that keeps our waterways thriving.

This cycle of removal and confinement not only puts the survival of these catfish at risk but also jeopardizes the future of local fishing. For avid anglers and newcomers alike, the chance to catch a true trophy catfish is becoming less attainable with each passing day. As these fish are removed from their habitats, they're deprived of the opportunity to grow and spawn, contributing to a diminished fish population in Ohio's waterways.

The Ohio Division of Natural Resources has the authority to change this. By implementing a ban on commercial fishing of catfish, we can ensure that our rivers and lakes remain fertile grounds for both fish and future generations of anglers. It's crucial that we take immediate action to protect these fish not just for our enjoyment but for the health of the ecosystem.

The time has come for us to speak up. Let's mobilize our community to preserve Ohio's rich fishing heritage and safeguard the environments that provide us joy and sustenance. Join me in urging the Ohio Division of Natural Resources to halt the commercial fishing of catfish in all Ohio waters. Your signature can help restore balance to our ecosystems and secure a brighter, more sustainable future for all Ohioans. Please sign this petition.