Catfish Production ISSN: 1948-271X Released February 9, 2026, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Catfish Value of Sales Up 1 Percent from 2024 Catfish growers in the United States had sales of 394 million dollars during 2025, up 1 percent from 390 million dollars the previous year. The top four States (Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, and Texas) accounted for 96 percent of the United States total sales. The United States total Foodsize sales of 367 million dollars increased slightly from the previous year. Sales of Stockers totaled 16.3 million dollars in 2025, compared to 11.9 million dollars in 2024. Fingerling and fry sales totaled 9.24 million dollars, down 4 percent from 2024. By point of first sale, direct sales to processors accounted for 92.7 percent of total Foodsize fish sales, down 1.0 percent from the previous year. Wholesale to other producers accounted for 78.2 percent of Stocker sales compared to 76.4 percent in 2024. Water Surface Acres Down 8 Percent from January 1, 2025 The water surface acres being used for catfish production as of January 1, 2026, totaled 48,115 acres, down 8 percent from the 52,070 acres used a year earlier. Of the total acres, 2,015 are to be renovated during the period of January 1 to June 30, 2026. An additional 100 acres are under construction or expected to be constructed and in use by July 1, 2026. During the period of July 1 through December 31, 2025, the area taken out of production totaled 990 acres. As of January 1, 2026, Foodsize fish were produced on 38,090 acres, Fingerling producing acres totaled 6,475, and 1,715 acres were being used for Broodfish production. Inventory Catfish producers had 788 thousand Broodfish on hand January 1, 2026, up 2 percent from January 1, 2025. Large foodsize fish on hand totaled 3.42 million on January 1, 2026, down 22 percent from a year ago. The inventory of Medium foodsize fish was down 41 percent to 39.5 million, while Small foodsize fish inventory was down 20 percent at 69.9 million. Large stockers on hand January 1, 2026, at 62.5 million fish, were down 8 percent from the previous year. Small stocker inventory was up 5 percent to 163 million. There were 244 million Fingerlings on hand January 1, 2026, up 9 percent from January 1, 2025. Contents Water Surface Acres Used for Production and Total Sales - States and United States: 2024-2026............. 3 Water Surface Acre Usage - States and United States: 2024-2026............................................ 3 Foodsize Inventory by Size Category - States and United States: January 1, 2025 and 2026.................. 4 Stockers and Fingerlings Inventory by Size Category - States and United States: January 1, 2025 and 2026.. 5 Broodfish Inventory by Size Category - United States: January 1, 2025 and 2026............................ 5 Sales - States and United States: 2024 and 2025........................................................... 6 Foodsize and Stockers Sold by Point of First Sale - United States: 2024 and 2025.......................... 6 Terms and Definitions .................................................................................... 7 Statistical Methodology................................................................................... 8 Information Contacts...................................................................................... 9 Water Surface Acres Used for Production and Total Sales - States and United States: 2024-2026 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Water surface acres : : : used for production : Total sales State : during January 1 - June 30 : : :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2025 : 2026 : 2024 : 2025 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : --------- acres -------- ----- 1,000 dollars ----- : Alabama ............: 12,100 10,300 104,407 99,454 Arkansas ...........: 3,400 3,200 23,092 25,082 California .........: (D) (D) (D) (D) Mississippi ........: 29,900 28,500 224,841 233,292 North Carolina .....: (D) (D) (D) (D) Texas ..............: 1,600 1,600 19,404 19,312 : Other States 1/ ....: 5,070 4,515 17,764 16,636 : United States ......: 52,070 48,115 389,508 393,776 : -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. 1/ Other States includes data for States not published in this table. Water Surface Acre Usage - States and United States: 2024-2026 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : Acres intended for utilization during January 1 - June 30 : Acres taken out :-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------: of production : : : : : : : Currently under : during : : : : : : : or scheduled for: : July 1 - State : Foodsize : Fingerlings : Broodfish :-----------------------------------: December 31 : : : : : : : Renovation :New construction : : :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2025 : 2026 : 2025 : 2026 : 2025 : 2026 : 2025 : 2026 : 2025 : 2026 : 2024 : 2025 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : acres : Alabama ........: 11,600 10,100 (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) 160 (D) (D) 700 410 Arkansas .......: 2,500 2,100 620 500 (D) (D) (D) (D) - (D) 170 (D) California .....: (D) (D) 170 160 40 35 (D) (D) - - (D) - Mississippi ....: 22,500 21,600 4,800 4,500 1,400 1,300 1,100 1,300 (D) (D) 65 180 North Carolina .: (D) (D) (D) (D) - - (D) (D) (D) (D) - (D) Texas ..........: 1,600 1,500 (D) (D) 40 45 (D) (D) - - (D) (D) : Other States 1/ : 2,860 2,790 1,410 1,315 380 335 590 555 60 100 320 400 : United States ..: 41,060 38,090 7,000 6,475 1,860 1,715 1,690 2,015 60 100 1,255 990 : ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ - Represents zero. (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. 1/ Other States includes data for States not published in this table. Foodsize Inventory by Size Category - States and United States: January 1, 2025 and 2026 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Live weight Size category : Fish :------------------------------------------- and State : : : Total : Average :----------------------------------------------------------------- : 2025 : 2026 : 2025 : 2026 : 2025 : 2026 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------ 1,000 ----- -- 1,000 pounds -- pounds per fish : Large foodsize : Alabama ............: 1,820 1,380 6,550 5,000 3.6 3.6 Arkansas ...........: 580 490 2,100 1,650 3.6 3.4 California .........: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Mississippi ........: 1,450 1,060 5,300 3,850 3.7 3.6 North Carolina .....: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Texas ..............: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) : Other States 1/ ....: 520 485 1,852 1,769 3.6 3.6 : United States ......: 4,370 3,415 15,802 12,269 3.6 3.6 : Medium foodsize : Alabama ............: 22,300 9,440 44,400 18,400 2.0 1.9 Arkansas ...........: 3,380 2,370 7,250 5,250 2.1 2.2 California .........: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Mississippi ........: 36,000 22,400 67,800 42,400 1.9 1.9 North Carolina .....: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Texas ..............: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) : Other States 1/ ....: 5,370 5,330 10,450 10,332 1.9 1.9 : United States ......: 67,050 39,540 129,900 76,382 1.9 1.9 : Small foodsize : Alabama ............: 21,900 16,700 22,200 15,000 1.0 0.9 Arkansas ...........: 2,940 2,660 3,250 2,850 1.1 1.1 California .........: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Mississippi ........: 56,500 45,000 58,000 46,300 1.0 1.0 North Carolina .....: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Texas ..............: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) : Other States 1/ ....: 5,980 5,570 5,789 5,416 1.0 1.0 : United States ......: 87,320 69,930 89,239 69,566 1.0 1.0 : Total foodsize : Alabama ............: 46,020 27,520 73,150 38,400 (X) (X) Arkansas ...........: 6,900 5,520 12,600 9,750 (X) (X) California .........: (D) (D) (D) (D) (X) (X) Mississippi ........: 93,950 68,460 131,100 92,550 (X) (X) North Carolina .....: (D) (D) (D) (D) (X) (X) Texas ..............: (D) (D) (D) (D) (X) (X) : Other States 1/ ....: 11,870 11,385 18,091 17,517 (X) (X) : United States ......: 158,740 112,885 234,941 158,217 (X) (X) : ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. (X) Not applicable. 1/ Other States includes data for States not published in this table. Stockers and Fingerlings Inventory by Size Category - States and United States: January 1, 2025 and 2026 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Live weight Size category : Fish :------------------------------------------- and State : : : Total : Average :----------------------------------------------------------------- : 2025 : 2026 : 2025 : 2026 : 2025 : 2026 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------ 1,000 ----- 1,000 pounds pounds per 1,000 fish : Large stockers : Alabama ............: 14,100 10,700 6,300 4,800 447 449 Arkansas ...........: 12,200 13,100 3,700 4,050 303 309 California .........: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Mississippi ........: 37,400 35,300 15,100 14,300 404 405 North Carolina .....: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Texas ..............: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) : Other States 1/ ....: 4,455 3,410 1,903 1,343 427 394 : United States ......: 68,155 62,510 27,003 24,493 396 392 : Small stockers : Alabama ............: 30,800 31,800 3,050 3,200 99.0 101.0 Arkansas ...........: 24,200 24,700 2,050 2,200 84.7 89.1 California .........: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Mississippi ........: 94,900 102,000 11,200 11,700 118 115 North Carolina .....: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Texas ..............: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) : Other States 1/ ....: 5,815 4,885 566 455 97.3 93.0 : United States ......: 155,715 163,385 16,866 17,555 108 107 : Total stockers : Alabama ............: 44,900 42,500 9,350 8,000 (X) (X) Arkansas ...........: 36,400 37,800 5,750 6,250 (X) (X) California .........: (D) (D) (D) (D) (X) (X) Mississippi ........: 132,300 137,300 26,300 26,000 (X) (X) North Carolina .....: (D) (D) (D) (D) (X) (X) Texas ..............: (D) (D) (D) (D) (X) (X) : Other States 1/ ....: 10,270 8,295 2,469 1,798 (X) (X) : United States ......: 223,870 225,895 43,869 42,048 (X) (X) : Fingerlings : Alabama ............: 6,430 5,090 348 260 54.1 51.1 Arkansas ...........: 10,800 14,500 335 447 31.0 30.8 California .........: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Mississippi ........: 200,000 219,000 6,500 6,850 32.5 31.3 North Carolina .....: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Texas ..............: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) : Other States 1/ ....: 6,535 5,435 239 139 36.6 25.6 : United States ......: 223,765 244,025 7,422 7,696 33.2 31.5 : ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. (X) Not applicable. 1/ Other States includes data for States not published in this table. Broodfish Inventory by Size Category - United States: January 1, 2025 and 2026 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Live weight Size category : Fish :------------------------------------------- : : : Total : Average :----------------------------------------------------------------- : 2025 : 2026 : 2025 : 2026 : 2025 : 2026 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 --- 1,000 pounds pounds per fish : Broodfish ............: 776 788 4,501 4,425 5.8 5.6 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sales - States and United States: 2024 and 2025 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Live weight : Sales : Fish :--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Size category : : : Total : Average : Total : Average price and State : : : : : : : : : per pound :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2024 : 2025 : 2024 : 2025 : 2024 : 2025 : 2024 : 2025 : 2024 : 2025 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ----- 1,000 ----- 1,000 pounds pounds per fish 1,000 dollars ---- dollars --- : Foodsize : Alabama ..........: 63,000 57,000 105,400 97,500 1.7 1.7 104,346 99,450 0.99 1.02 Arkansas .........: 9,200 9,870 13,700 15,900 1.5 1.6 16,303 19,875 1.19 1.25 California .......: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Mississippi ......: 137,000 141,000 189,800 194,300 1.4 1.4 210,678 213,730 1.11 1.10 North Carolina ...: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Texas ............: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) : Other States 1/ ..: 12,750 12,000 23,372 22,342 1.8 1.9 35,214 33,839 1.51 1.51 : United States ....: 221,950 219,870 332,272 330,042 1.5 1.5 366,541 366,894 1.10 1.11 : Broodfish : United States ....: 226 213 945 899 4.2 4.2 1,496 1,364 1.58 1.52 : : ----- 1,000 ----- 1,000 pounds pounds per 1,000 fish 1,000 dollars ---- dollars --- : Stockers : Mississippi 2/ ...: (X) (X) (X) (X) (X) (X) (X) (X) (X) (X) : Other States 1/ ..: 61,220 86,355 8,074 12,467 132.0 144.0 11,897 16,280 1.47 1.31 : United States ....: 61,220 86,355 8,074 12,467 132.0 144.0 11,897 16,280 1.47 1.31 : Fingerlings and fry : : United States ....: 147,890 146,285 4,374 4,447 29.6 30.4 9,574 9,238 2.19 2.08 : -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. (X) Not applicable. 1/ Other States includes data for States not published in this table. 2/ Estimates discontinued in 2025. Foodsize and Stockers Sold by Point of First Sale - United States: 2024 and 2025 [Point of First Sale by outlet may not add to 100 percent due to rounding] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : Recreational : Live haulers : Retail : Other Size category : Processors : stocking : and brokers : outlets : outlets -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2024 : 2025 : 2024 : 2025 : 2024 : 2025 : 2024 : 2025 : 2024 : 2025 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : percent : Foodsize ...........: 93.7 92.7 0.4 0.7 2.8 2.6 1.8 1.9 1.3 2.1 : :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Wholesale to : Recreational : Live haulers : Government : Other : other producers : stocking : and brokers : agencies : outlets :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2024 : 2025 : 2024 : 2025 : 2024 : 2025 : 2024 : 2025 : 2024 : 2025 :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : percent : Stockers ...........: 76.4 78.2 11.5 10.3 10.4 9.6 0.5 0.6 1.2 1.3 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Terms and Definitions Used for Catfish Production Estimates Broodfish: Fish kept for egg production, including males. Broodfish produce the fertilized eggs, which go to hatcheries. The most desirable size is 3 to 10 pounds or 4 to 6 years of age. Fingerlings: Fish weighing 2 to 60 pounds per 1,000 fish or 2 to 6 inches in length. Foodsize (large): Fish weighing over 3 pounds. Foodsize (medium): Fish weighing over one and one-half pounds to 3 pounds. Foodsize (small): Fish weighing over three-fourths of a pound to one and one- half pounds. Fry: Fish weighing less than 2 pounds per 1,000 fish or less than 2 inches in length. Stockers (large): Fish weighing over 180 pounds to 750 pounds per 1,000 fish. Stockers (small): Fish weighing over 60 pounds to 180 pounds per 1,000 fish or over 6 inches in length. Terms and Definitions Used to Describe Point of First Sale Government Agencies: Sales to Federal, State, or local government agencies for the purpose of stocking public waters. Live Hauler/Broker: Sales made to an individual or company that generally purchases live fish from a producer and transports them in an oxygenated tank truck to other outlets. Other Outlets: Sales to outlets not meeting one of the other defined outlets. Point of First Sale Outlet: The first point at which money changes hands. Processors: Sales made directly to a plant for processing. Recreational Stocking: Only includes fish sold to individuals or private entities for the sole purpose of stocking recreational waters. Retail Outlets: Fish sold directly to entities who buy fish to re-sell to consumers. Includes grocers, restaurants, and fish markets. Wholesale to Other Producers: Fish sold to other producers for the intention of growing out for further sale at a later time. Statistical Methodology Survey Procedures: Data for catfish production are collected from all known producers in the six published states and a sample of producers from the remaining states. NASS Regional Field Offices maintain a list of all known catfish producers and use known sources of producers to update their lists. Operators are mailed a questionnaire as close as possible to January 1 and given adequate time to respond by mail. Those that do not respond by mail are telephoned or possibly enumerated in person during the middle of January. Estimation Procedures: Sound statistical methodology is employed to derive the estimates from reported data. All data are analyzed for unusual values. Data from each operation are compared to their own past operating profile and to trends from similar operations. Data for missing operations were estimated based on similar operations or historical data. NASS Regional Field Offices prepare these estimates by using a combination of survey indications and historic trends. Individual State estimates are reviewed by the Agricultural Statistics Board for reasonableness. Revision policy: Estimates for the previous year are subject to revision when current estimates are made. Revisions are the result of late or corrected data. Reliability: In the six published states, catfish production estimates are based on a census of all known active producers and therefore, have no sampling variability. However, since all operations in the other states category are not included in the sample, survey estimates are subject to sampling variability. Survey results are also subject to errors such as omissions, duplication, and mistakes in reporting, recording, and processing the data. While these errors cannot be measured directly, they are minimized through strict quality controls in the data collection process and a careful review of all reported data for consistency and reasonableness. Information Contacts Listed below are the commodity specialists in the Livestock Branch of the National Agricultural Statistics Service to contact for additional information. E-mail inquiries may be sent to nass@usda.gov. Travis Averill, Chief, Livestock Branch................................................ (202) 692-0069 Sherry Bertramsen - Livestock Slaughter............................................. (202) 690-8632 Tiffany Byrne - Dairy Products...................................................... (651) 440-7789 Ryan Cowen - Cattle, Cattle on Feed................................................. (202) 720-3040 Kim DaPra - Milk Production and Milk Cows........................................... (202) 720-3278 Fatema Haque - Turkey Hatchery, Turkeys Raised, Poultry ............................ (202) 720-3244 Derron Martin - Catfish, Trout, Census of Aquaculture, Egg Products................. (202) 690-3237 Ralph Mondesir - Hogs and Pigs...................................................... (202) 720-3106 Suzanne Richards - Cost of Pollination, Honey, Honey Bee Colonies, Sheep and Goats.. 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