Yes.  All businesses must register with the Missouri Department of Revenue. This may be done online but it is recommended this be done by completing form 2643 and mailing it together with the bond payment.  Many questions are answered in the Department's page.  For additional questions, contact the Registration section at 573-751-5860.  Check with county officials to determine if a county occupation license is needed to operate a business.

What permits are required to raise fish?

All applicable regulations have been compiled on another page; however, no production or environmental permits should be needed if all of the following apply:

1 the species and production methods used meet the requirements of the Approved Species List,

2 fish production and feed use are below the threshold of the General Permit issued by DNR,

3 water use is below the Major Water User threshold,

4 restricted pesticides are not used, and

5 trout are not imported.

The fish food was probably made with meat and bone meal from a ruminant animal. Under federal rule, any company selling feed products, whether manufactured for fish, poultry, or swine, etc. containing ingredients from ruminant animals (cattle, sheep, goats) is required to keep records of each sale. This does not mean the ruminant protein is bad for fish or other animals. The object is to protect cattle from being fed ruminant protein that has been known to cause BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalophathy) if it contains the infectious prion. The reason FDA has allowed ruminant products to be fed to other types of animals is that the disease has never been known to cross the species line - cattle to hogs, cattle to fish, etc.