Though you can't walk a catfish...you CAN adopt one and help the river

Looking for a Unique Holiday Gift?

Help make the Chicago River healthier and more fish-friendly by adopting one of Friends' 277,000 channel catfish. Released into the river as part of Friends' groundbreaking restoration projects, this baby catfish and others like it need food, shelter, and a healthy river environment to call home!

This catfish could be yours!

By adopting a channel catfish--or giving one as a gift--you make it possible for Friends to advocate for clean water and healthy habitat, which improves the river for the more than 70 species of fish, countless species of birds, beavers, muskrats, turtles and even the occasional river otter that call it home. 

You're not just helping the environment with this symbolic adoption; it's also the perfect way to celebrate birthdays or special occasions such as Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or Grandparent’s Day. Adoption kits include a personalized certificate with a photo of your fish, a welcome letter, catfish stickers, fact sheet, a Friends' membership, and more. 

Click here for a catfish! It makes a perfect gift.

Why Catfish?

Channel catfish are found throughout the Chicago region in rivers and larger creeks. Their diet includes a wide range of creatures including fish, crayfish, and invertebrates as well as plant material. Ordinarily channel cats would be found in abundance throughout the Chicago River system, but because of diminished habitat their numbers are low.

To address this issue, Friends teamed up with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and invented a new channel catfish nesting cavity--which mimics the natural habitat that was in the water years ago. In 2014 and 2015, together we installed the cavities and released 195,000 juvenile catfish to use them!

Please click here to adopt a catfish today. Thank you!