DEEP090926CM - Channel Catfish Contract Specifics.pdf

SPECIFICATIONS FOR CHANNEL CATFISH – 2026

Number: 8,800 14-18" Channel Catfish for 17 Connecticut lakes/ponds are requested.

Size: The average size of 14-18" Channel Catfish should be approximately 16 inches (average weight per fish should be 1.25 lb.), with no individuals smaller than 13 inches.

Strain/Species: All catfish must be Channel Catfish. Neither Blue Catfish nor Channel Catfish X Blue Catfish crosses are acceptable. The delivery may include up to 30% albino Channel Catfish.

Date of delivery: The preferred date of delivery and stocking is October 1 or 2, 2026. Should issues arise with this date then a date between October 5-9, 2025, shall be chosen. No weekend or holiday deliveries. Please notify Chris McDowell (cell: 860-707-2767/email:

christopher.mcdowell@ct.gov) as soon as possible if any issues arise with the delivery date.

(Secondary backup contact biologist is Andrew Bade cell: 860-490-0701 / email:

andrew.bade@ct.gov.)

Condition of fish: For payment by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), the fish must be delivered alive and deemed in good health by the State of Connecticut Fish Pathologist or a DEEP Fisheries Biologist. The Channel Catfish will be made available for inspection by the State of Connecticut Fish Pathologist or a DEEP Fisheries Biologist upon entering the State of Connecticut at a designated location. The State of Connecticut Fish Pathologist or DEEP Fisheries Biologist will be allowed to sample the fish for disease and general health. Sample counts of fish, fish lengths, and weights may also be taken by a DEEP Fisheries Biologist. Dead and unhealthy fish will not be stocked but may be retained for analysis if necessary. Any dead or dying fish will be counted and the final bill will be adjusted to reflect said loss.

Disease status: A comprehensive disease inspection and report is required. Channel Catfish must be free of serious diseases. Fish health testing shall include, at a minimum: CCVD (Channel Catfish Virus Disease), VHS (Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia), IPN (Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis), Aeromonas salmonicida (Furunculosis), Yersinia ruckeri (Enteric Redmouth Disease), Edwardsiella tarda, Edwardsiella ictalurid, Flavobacter columnaris and PGD (Proliferative Gill Disease). Fish health inspection reports (from a certified pathology laboratory in the vendor’s state or region will be submitted to Connecticut Fish Health personnel no less than 10 days prior to departure from the originating facility.

Aquatic Invasive Species: Shipments will be inspected for the presence of Aquatic Invasive Species. Transportation water must be free of dreissenid mussel (i.e. zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha and quagga mussel Dreissena rostriformis bugensis) adults or larvae.

Communication from the vendor's State Department of Natural Resources should indicate that no viable populations of dreissenid mussels have been documented in the waters from which mailto:christopher.mcdowell@ct.gov mailto:andrew.bade@ct.gov

SPECIFICATIONS FOR CHANNEL CATFISH – 2026

Channel Catfish are obtained. No water, except from a well-water source, is to be added to the transportation truck prior to or during transportation to Connecticut. After all fish have been offloaded, transportation water will be released away from surface waters under the inspection of a DEEP Fisheries Biologist. No other aquatic animals or plants are to be transported to Connecticut (including other fish, amphibians, crayfish or aquatic plant species).

Coordination agreement: At least three days prior to delivery, the vendor will provide the load manifest for the truck, which will include the numbers of Channel Catfish in each tank, as well as the average weight of the Channel Catfish in pounds for each fish and for each tank so the DEEP Fisheries Biologist can plan the runs for the stocking day with adequate time to inform participants. The initial meeting location will be determined by a DEEP Fisheries Biologist. The vendor will notify DEEP Fisheries Biologist Chris McDowell (cell: 860-707-2767/email: christopher.mcdowell@ct.gov. Secondary backup contact biologist is Andrew Bade cell: 860-490-0701 / email: andrew.bade@ct.gov.) at least two weeks before loading, again on the day of loading, and about 24 hours and then 2 hours before reaching the Connecticut boarder. Stops within the State of Connecticut will include: an initial meeting location (most likely a boat launch, highway rest stop, commuter lot, or weigh-in area), and potentially stops at several lakes in Connecticut. Fish may be offloaded at several locations on each lake. The vendor will be responsible for obtaining any state or federal permits necessary for transport of live fish across or through all intervening states on route to Connecticut.

Care of fish: Drivers should be knowledgeable with pH, dissolved oxygen, and water temperature requirements for Channel Catfish. They should also be experienced in proper acclimation and handling procedures. The driver(s) should be prepared to remain at the designated meeting location while their tank water temperatures are tempered to meet DEEP staff stocking truck(s) water temperatures if required. The vendor is required to provide the delivery truck drivers with a water pump and hoses for tempering fish water once the delivery truck has reached the State of Connecticut meeting location.

Other Conditions: Selected vendor should have experience delivering large loads of live fish to the State of Connecticut.

mailto:christopher.mcdowell@ct.gov mailto:andrew.bade@ct.gov