Catfish Production ISSN: 1948-271X Released July 17, 2024, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Water Surface Acres Down 9 Percent The water surface area to be used for catfish production in the three major producing States (Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi) during July 1 through December 31, 2024, totaled 45,700 acres, down 9 percent from a year ago. Acres used for Foodsize fish totaled 37,600, down 8 percent from the same time period in 2023. Acres used for Fingerling production at 5,460 acres, are down 13 percent, and acres for Broodfish at 1,710 acres, are down 17 percent. Of the total acres in production, 1,200 acres were scheduled to be renovated from July 1 to December 31, 2024 compared with 2,870 acres taken out of production during the period of January 1 through June 30, 2024. Foodsize Inventory Down Slightly Catfish operations in the three major producing States had 109 million Foodsize fish on hand on July 1, 2024, down slightly from July 1, 2023. The breakouts of Foodsize fish inventory numbers on July 1, 2024, with their respective percent change from the previous year were: Large foodsize at 3.16 million fish, down 11 percent; Medium foodsize at 39.3 million fish, up 3 percent; and Small foodsize at 66.8 million fish, down 2 percent. The three major Catfish producing States also had 1,120,000 Broodfish on hand on July 1, 2024, up 4 percent from last year's 1,080,000 Broodfish. Catfish operations in the three major producing States had 184 million Stockers on hand on July 1, 2024, down 27 percent from the July 1, 2023 total of 252 million Stockers. The breakouts of Stocker fish inventory numbers on July 1, 2024, with their respective change from the previous year were: Large stockers at 88.6 million fish, down 22 percent from the previous year and Small stockers at 95.5 million fish, down 31 percent from last year. Producers had 337 million Fingerlings and fry on hand on July 1, 2024, up 25 percent from July 1, 2023. Water Surface Acres Used for Production - Major States: 2023 and 2024 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : Water surface acres used for production July 1 - December 31 State : : ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : 2023 : 2024 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : acres : Alabama ................................: 14,000 12,800 Arkansas ...............................: 3,400 3,000 Mississippi ............................: 32,900 29,900 : 3 State total ..........................: 50,300 45,700 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Catfish Water Surface Acres by Use - Major States: 2023 and 2024 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :Acres intended for utilization during July 1 - December 31 for: :--------------------------------------------------------------:Acres taken out : : : : Currently under : of production Year and State : : : : or scheduled for : during : Foodsize :Fingerlings: Broodfish :--------------------------: January 1 - : : : : : New : June 30 : : : : Renovation :construction : ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : acres : : 2023 : Alabama ......................: 13,600 (D) (D) 300 (D) (D) Arkansas .....................: 2,200 (D) (D) 55 - - Mississippi ..................: 25,100 5,000 1,800 1,100 (D) (D) : 3 State total ................: 40,900 6,260 2,050 1,455 255 455 : 2024 : Alabama ......................: 12,300 310 (D) 115 (D) (D) Arkansas .....................: 2,300 650 (D) 85 - (D) Mississippi ..................: 23,000 4,500 1,500 1,000 (D) 1,800 : 3 State total ................: 37,600 5,460 1,710 1,200 240 2,870 : ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Represents zero. (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. Catfish Inventory by Size Category - Major States: July 1, 2023 and 2024 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : : Live weight Size category : Fish :------------------------------------- and State : : Total : Average :------------------------------------------------------- : 2023 : 2024 : 2023 : 2024 : 2023 : 2024 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : ---- 1,000 ---- 1,000 pounds pounds per fish : Large foodsize : Alabama ..............: 1,520 1,260 5,800 4,900 3.8 3.9 Arkansas .............: 300 370 1,090 1,400 3.6 3.8 Mississippi ..........: 1,730 1,530 6,100 5,400 3.5 3.5 : 3 State total ........: 3,550 3,160 12,990 11,700 3.7 3.7 : Medium foodsize : Alabama ..............: 9,190 10,300 18,000 20,900 2.0 2.0 Arkansas .............: 1,900 2,350 3,550 4,700 1.9 2.0 Mississippi ..........: 26,900 26,600 53,000 51,900 2.0 2.0 : 3 State total ........: 37,990 39,250 74,550 77,500 2.0 2.0 : Small foodsize : Alabama ..............: 22,800 20,600 20,800 19,700 0.9 1.0 Arkansas .............: 3,420 5,300 3,450 5,300 1.0 1.0 Mississippi ..........: 41,600 40,900 46,800 40,900 1.1 1.0 : 3 State total ........: 67,820 66,800 71,050 65,900 1.0 1.0 : Total foodsize : Alabama ..............: 33,510 32,160 44,600 45,500 (X) (X) Arkansas .............: 5,620 8,020 8,090 11,400 (X) (X) Mississippi ..........: 70,230 69,030 105,900 98,200 (X) (X) : 3 State total ........:109,360 109,210 158,590 155,100 (X) (X) : Broodfish : Alabama ..............: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Arkansas .............: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Mississippi ..........: 1,020 1,030 4,850 4,500 4.8 4.4 : 3 State total ........: 1,080 1,120 5,114 4,931 4.7 4.4 : ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ See footnote(s) at end of table. --continued Catfish Inventory by Size Category - Major States: July 1, 2023 and 2024 (continued) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : Live weight Size category : Fish :------------------------------------------- and State : : Total : Average :----------------------------------------------------------------- : 2023 : 2024 : 2023 : 2024 : 2023 : 2024 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------ 1,000 ----- 1,000 pounds pounds per 1,000 fish : Large stockers : Alabama ..............: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Arkansas .............: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Mississippi ..........: 62,700 57,900 23,200 23,500 370 406 : 3 State total ........: 113,900 88,550 42,600 37,000 374 418 : Small stockers : Alabama ..............: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Arkansas .............: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Mississippi ..........: 103,000 62,900 9,100 6,400 88.3 102.0 : 3 State total ........: 138,030 95,460 13,070 10,410 94.7 109.0 : Total stockers : Alabama ..............: 71,600 48,500 18,150 12,650 (X) (X) Arkansas .............: 14,630 14,710 5,220 4,860 (X) (X) Mississippi ..........: 165,700 120,800 32,300 29,900 (X) (X) : 3 State total ........: 251,930 184,010 55,670 47,410 (X) (X) : Fingerlings and fry : Alabama ..............: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Arkansas .............: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Mississippi ..........: 209,000 280,000 5,450 6,200 26.1 22.1 : 3 State total ........: 268,690 337,110 6,911 7,525 25.7 22.3 : ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. (X) Not applicable. 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. Statistical Methodology Survey Procedures: All known catfish producers in the three published States are surveyed to collect production data. Individual 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 July 1 and given time to respond by mail. Those that do not respond by mail are telephoned or possibly enumerated in person during the middle of July. Estimating 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. Missing data for large operations are estimated based on similar operations or historical data. Summary expansions account for the remaining non-response operations. 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. Due to sequestration, NASS did not produce July catfish production estimates in 2013. Reliability: In the three published States, catfish production estimates are based on a census of all known active producers and therefore, have no sampling variability. However, estimates are 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 Greg Lemmons, Acting Head, Poultry and Specialty Commodities Section... (202) 720-9526 Holly Brenize - Poultry Slaughter................................... (202) 720-0585 Liana Cuffman - Catfish and Trout, Mink, Census of Aquaculture ..... (202) 720-8784 Fatema Haque - Turkey Hatchery, Turkeys Raised ..................... (202) 720-3244 Derron Martin - Chicken Hatchery, Egg Products...................... (202) 690-3237 Seth Riggins - Honey, Honey Bee Colonies ........................... (202) 690-4870 Shulonda Shaw - Cold Storage, Capacity of Refrigerated Warehouses .. (202) 720-3240 Autumn Stone - Layers, Eggs ........................................ 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