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The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development administers licenses to farms commercially culturing, producing, growing, using, propagating, harvesting, transporting, importing, or marketing aquaculture species in private waters. New! Applications for these tasks are submitted and paid for online through the Michigan Business One Stop portal.
A. NAME OF PERMIT OR APPROVAL:
Aquaculture Research Permit or Aquaculture Facility Registration Form (AH-261).
B. STATUTORY AUTHORITY:
The Michigan Aquaculture Development Act, 1996 PA 199
C. APPLICABLE REGULATION:
No administrative rules.
D. SUMMARY OF PERMIT/APPROVAL PROCESS:
1. Applicability (activities that require the permit)
You will need an Aquaculture Facility Registration if you plan to commercially raise
approved aquatic species in private waters.
You will need an Aquaculture Research Permit if you plan to commercially culture, produce, grow, use, propagate, harvest, transport, import, export, or market species [not] on the approved aquatic species.
You do not need an Aquaculture Research Permit or Aquaculture Facility Registration if you are:
- operating a retail bait outlet.
- operating a retail ornamental fish facility.
- Using privately controlled waters for noncommercial purposes.
- Operating a public aquarium or zoo.
- Operating a portable retail fishing concession.
2. Pre-Application Requirements
- If you are applying for an Aquaculture Research Permit, you will need to contact your local municipality (city, township, or county) to make sure that your facility is not in a 100 year old flood plain. You will also need to develop a research protocol, to be submitted to the department with your application. This protocol needs to include the source of fish, a description of handling and culturing activities, and the method of disposition of the fish and water (the water must not be discharged to natural waters and the discharged water must be treated to remove biological contaminants).
3. Application Submission Requirements
The application must be completed in its entirety to include:
- Business name, address, and phone number.
- Business mailing address (if different from the business address).
- Type of ownership (i.e. corporation, sole ownership, partnership, LLC, etc).
- Name and address of the corporation or the owner (if not a corporation).
- Federal Tax ID for the business.
- The type of license desired (i.e. initial or renewal Aquaculture Facility Registration or Aquaculture Research Permit).
- Payment (Please indicate the payment amount and method (i.e. check or money order) on the application.)
- Signature, printed name, title of person signing (i.e owner, president, etc), and date signed.
- Type of aquatic species to be raised under the license.
- If you are applying for an Aquaculture Research Permit, you must include a research protocol.
Do not submit an application any less than 60 days before you wish to start operating as an aquaculture facility.
4. Procedures and Time-Frame for Obtaining Permit or Approval
- Review the associated laws and regulations pertaining to aquaculture facilities. (Please see #5. Operational Requirements below for the laws and regulations.)
- If you desire to work with species not on the approved species list under the Michigan Aquaculture Act, prepare the research protocol and confirm that the facility is not in a 100 year old flood plain.
- Complete the application providing all of the information requested. If a section is not applicable, please put a line through that section.
- Submit the completed application (and research protocol if applying for an Aquaculture Research Permit), along with a check or money order for the appropriate fee ($100 for an Aquaculture Facility Registration or $250 for an Aquaculture Research Permit), payable to State of Michigan to: Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Animal Industry Division, PO Box 30776, Lansing, MI 48909-8276.
- After your application has been approved and processed, a Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) employee will contact you to verify that your facility is ready for inspection. If the facility is ready for inspection, a MDARD inspector, typically a Field Veterinarian will then contact you within thirty days of the receipt of the application to set-up and conduct a pre-registration or pre-permit inspection of the facility. He or she will bring you a copy of the Great Lakes Fish Disease Control Policy and Model Program booklet. There are two inspections allowed per application. If the facility doesn't pass those two inspections, a new application and fee will need to be submitted.
- Upon completion of the pre-registration or pre-permit inspection, the inspection report is sent to the Lansingoffice for a manager's review. Once the facility has passed inspection and managerial review, the application must be submitted to the Department of Natural Resources for review. Once the application has been approved by the Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development will issue and mail the registration or permit. Please note that if there are problems found by the inspector, the manager, or the Department of Natural Resources, you will be given suggestions for improvement.
- After receiving the registration or permit, you may then conduct business as an aquaculture facility.
Typically it takes 4-8 weeks from the time an application is submitted to receive a registration
5. Operational Requirements
License continuity requires Compliance with:
6. Fees
Aquaculture Facility Registration:
- $100 for an intial application. This includes a facility shop that may have moved or that is under new ownership.
- $75 for a renewal application.
Aquaculture Research Permit:
- $250 for an intial application. This includes a facility shop that may have moved or that is under new ownership.
- $100 for a renewal application.
Please note that the application fee is non-refundable.
Aquaculture Facility Registrations and Aquaculture Research Permits expires on September 30th of each year. Any renewal applications received after October 31st will be charged the initial fee rather than the renewal fee.
7. Appeal Process
License denials can be appealed in accordance with the Administrative Procedures Act, Public Act 306 of 1969, as amended, MCL 24.201 et seq.
8. Public Input Opportunities
- Licensing status questions and licensing process complaints should be directed to the Central Licensing Unit of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, 517 241-6666.
- Compliance information or licensing enforcement complaints should be directed to the Aquaculture Enforcement Program, Animal Industry Division, 517 335-7188.
E. Contact Information:
Contact Us
Creation/Revision Date:
09/01/2010
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