Catfish Production ISSN: 1948-271X Released February 10, 2025, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Catfish Value of Sales Down 21 Percent from 2023 Catfish growers in the United States had sales of 358 million dollars during 2024, down 21 percent from 454 million dollars the previous year. The top four States (Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, and Texas) accounted for 95 percent of the United States total sales. The United States total Foodsize sales of 331 million dollars decreased 21 percent from the previous year. Sales of Stockers totaled 11.9 million dollars in 2024, compared to 20.3 million dollars in 2023. Fingerling and fry sales totaled 12.5 million dollars, up 21 percent from 2023. By point of first sale, direct sales to processors accounted for 93.3 percent of total Foodsize fish sales, down 1.6 percent from the previous year. Wholesale to other producers accounted for 76.4 percent of Stocker sales compared to 77.4 percent in 2023. Water Surface Acres Down 3 Percent from January 1, 2024 The water surface acres being used for catfish production as of January 1, 2025, totaled 52,070 acres, down 3 percent from the 53,545 acres used a year earlier. Of the total acres, 1,690 are to be renovated during the period of January 1 to June 30, 2025. An additional 60 acres are under construction or expected to be constructed and in use by July 1, 2025. During the period of July 1 through December 31, 2024, the area taken out of production totaled 1,255 acres. As of January 1, 2025, Foodsize fish were produced on 41,060 acres, Fingerling producing acres totaled 7,000, and 1,860 acres were being used for Broodfish production. Inventory Catfish producers had 776 thousand Broodfish on hand January 1, 2025, down 1 percent from January 1, 2024. Large foodsize fish on hand totaled 3.73 million on January 1, 2025, down 11 percent from a year ago. The inventory of Medium foodsize fish was down 24 percent to 47.4 million, while Small foodsize fish inventory was down 10 percent at 70.9 million. Large stockers on hand January 1, 2025, at 58.7 million fish, were down 30 percent from the previous year. Small stocker inventory was down 13 percent to 133 million. There were 224 million Fingerlings on hand January 1, 2025, up 13 percent from January 1, 2024. Contents Water Surface Acres Used for Production and Total Sales - States and United States: 2023-2025............. 3 Water Surface Acre Usage - States and United States: 2023-2025............................................ 3 Foodsize Inventory by Size Category - States and United States: January 1, 2024 and 2025.................. 4 Stockers and Fingerlings Inventory by Size Category - States and United States: January 1, 2024 and 2025.. 5 Broodfish Inventory by Size Category - United States: January 1, 2024 and 2025............................ 5 Sales - States and United States: 2022 and 2023........................................................... 6 Foodsize and Stockers Sold by Point of First Sale - United States: 2023 and 2024.......................... 6 Terms and Definitions Used for Catfish Production Estimates .............................................. 7 Terms and Definitions Used to Describe Point of First Sale................................................ 8 Statistical Methodology................................................................................... 8 Information Contacts...................................................................................... 9 Water Surface Acres Used for Production and Total Sales - States and United States: 2023-2025 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Water surface acres : : : used for production : Total sales State : during January 1 - June 30 : : :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2024 : 2025 : 2023 : 2024 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : --------- acres -------- ----- 1,000 dollars ----- : Alabama ............: 13,700 12,100 112,884 94,507 Arkansas ...........: 3,100 3,400 24,590 23,092 California .........: (D) (D) (D) (D) Mississippi ........: 31,700 29,900 276,046 202,587 North Carolina .....: (D) (D) (D) (D) Texas ..............: 1,600 1,600 22,797 19,554 : Other States 1/ ....: 3,445 5,070 17,574 17,790 : United States ......: 53,545 52,070 453,891 357,530 : -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. 1/ Other States include State estimates not shown and States suppressed due to disclosure. Water Surface Acre Usage - States and United States: 2023-2025 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : 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 : : :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2024 : 2025 : 2024 : 2025 : 2024 : 2025 : 2024 : 2025 : 2024 : 2025 : 2023 : 2024 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : acres : Alabama ........: 13,100 11,600 440 (D) 10 (D) 115 (D) (D) (D) 720 700 Arkansas .......: 2,000 2,500 710 620 (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) - (D) 170 California .....: (D) (D) 190 170 60 40 (D) (D) - - (D) (D) Mississippi ....: 24,300 22,500 5,200 4,800 1,500 1,400 1,100 (D) 165 40 (D) 65 North Carolina .: 220 (D) 10 (D) (D) - (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) - Texas ..........: 1,500 1,600 45 (D) 20 40 80 (D) (D) - (D) (D) : Other States 1/ : 2,040 2,860 650 1,410 330 380 560 1,690 35 20 1,705 320 : United States ..: 43,160 41,060 7,245 7,000 1,920 1,860 1,855 1,690 200 60 2,425 1,255 : ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ - Represents zero. (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. 1/ Other States include State estimates not shown and States suppressed due to disclosure. Foodsize Inventory by Size Category - States and United States: January 1, 2024 and 2025 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Live weight Size category : Fish :------------------------------------------- and State : : : Total : Average :----------------------------------------------------------------- : 2024 : 2025 : 2024 : 2025 : 2024 : 2025 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------ 1,000 ----- -- 1,000 pounds -- pounds per fish : Large foodsize : Alabama ............: 1,750 1,450 6,850 5,200 3.9 3.6 Arkansas ...........: 590 580 2,150 2,100 3.6 3.6 California .........: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Mississippi ........: 1,370 1,180 4,800 4,200 3.5 3.6 North Carolina .....: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Texas ..............: 185 200 650 684 3.5 3.4 : Other States 1/ ....: 295 320 1,059 1,168 3.6 3.7 : United States ......: 4,190 3,730 15,509 13,352 3.7 3.6 : Medium foodsize : Alabama ............: 19,300 12,000 38,600 24,100 2.0 2.0 Arkansas ...........: 3,780 2,780 8,000 6,250 2.1 2.2 California .........: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Mississippi ........: 33,700 27,200 64,100 52,600 1.9 1.9 North Carolina .....: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Texas ..............: 4,510 (D) 8,350 (D) 1.9 (D) : Other States 1/ ....: 1,175 5,370 2,551 10,450 2.2 1.9 : United States ......: 62,465 47,350 121,601 93,400 1.9 2.0 : Small foodsize : Alabama ............: 20,900 16,400 20,900 16,000 1.0 1.0 Arkansas ...........: 4,410 2,840 4,750 3,100 1.1 1.1 California .........: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Mississippi ........: 49,300 45,700 54,200 47,800 1.1 1.0 North Carolina .....: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Texas ..............: 2,620 (D) 2,250 (D) 0.9 (D) : Other States 1/ ....: 1,315 5,980 1,309 5,789 1.0 1.0 : United States ......: 78,545 70,920 83,409 72,689 1.1 1.0 : Total foodsize : Alabama ............: 41,950 29,850 66,350 45,300 (NA) (NA) Arkansas ...........: 8,780 6,200 14,900 11,450 (NA) (NA) California .........: (D) (D) (D) (D) (NA) (NA) Mississippi ........: 84,370 74,080 123,100 104,600 (NA) (NA) North Carolina .....: (D) (D) (D) (D) (NA) (NA) Texas ..............: 7,315 7,650 11,250 11,284 (NA) (NA) : Other States 1/ ....: 2,785 4,220 4,919 6,807 (NA) (NA) : United States ......: 145,200 122,000 220,519 179,441 (NA) (NA) : ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. (NA) Not available. 1/ Other States include State estimates not shown and States suppressed due to disclosure. Stockers and Fingerlings Inventory by Size Category - States and United States: January 1, 2024 and 2025 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Live weight Size category : Fish :------------------------------------------- and State : : : Total : Average :----------------------------------------------------------------- : 2024 : 2025 : 2024 : 2025 : 2024 : 2025 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------ 1,000 ----- 1,000 pounds pounds per 1,000 fish : Large stockers : Alabama ............: 26,900 11,200 10,700 5,000 398 446 Arkansas ...........: (D) 12,200 (D) 3,700 (D) 303 California .........: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Mississippi ........: 37,000 30,800 11,800 12,000 319 390 North Carolina .....: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Texas ..............: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) : Other States 1/ ....: 20,420 4,455 7,532 1,903 369 427 : United States ......: 84,320 58,655 30,032 22,603 356 385 : Small stockers : Alabama ............: 20,500 24,400 1,990 2,400 97.1 98.4 Arkansas ...........: (D) 24,200 (D) 2,050 (D) 84.7 California .........: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Mississippi ........: 98,800 78,200 9,450 8,900 95.6 114.0 North Carolina .....: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Texas ..............: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) : Other States 1/ ....: 32,525 5,815 2,934 566 90.2 97.3 : United States ......: 151,825 132,615 14,374 13,916 94.7 105.0 : Total stockers : Alabama ............: 47,400 35,600 12,690 7,400 (NA) (NA) Arkansas ...........: (D) 36,400 (D) 5,750 (NA) (NA) California .........: (D) (D) (D) (D) (NA) (NA) Mississippi ........: 135,800 109,000 21,250 20,900 (NA) (NA) North Carolina .....: (D) (D) (D) (D) (NA) (NA) Texas ..............: (D) (D) (D) (D) (NA) (NA) : Other States 1/ ....: 52,945 10,270 10,466 2,469 (NA) (NA) : United States ......: 236,145 191,270 44,406 36,519 (NA) (NA) : Fingerlings : Alabama ............: 16,200 6,430 877 348 54.1 54.1 Arkansas ...........: 17,700 10,800 535 335 30.2 31.0 California .........: 2,520 (D) 63 (D) 25.0 (D) Mississippi ........: 157,000 200,000 4,800 6,500 30.6 32.5 North Carolina .....: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Texas ..............: 185 (D) 4 (D) 21.6 (D) : Other States 1/ ....: 5,215 6,535 178 239 34.1 36.6 : United States ......: 198,820 223,765 6,457 7,422 32.5 33.2 : ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. (NA) Not available. 1/ Other States include State estimates not shown and States suppressed due to disclosure. Broodfish Inventory by Size Category - United States: January 1, 2024 and 2025 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Live weight Size category : Fish :------------------------------------------- : : : Total : Average :----------------------------------------------------------------- : 2024 : 2025 : 2024 : 2025 : 2024 : 2025 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 --- 1,000 pounds pounds per fish : Broodfish ............: 780 776 4,991 4,501 6.4 5.8 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sales - States and United States: 2023 and 2024 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Live weight : Sales : Fish :--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Size category : : : Total : Average : Total : Average price and State : : : : : : : : : per pound :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2023 : 2024 : 2023 : 2024 : 2023 : 2024 : 2023 : 2024 : 2023 : 2024 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ----- 1,000 ----- 1,000 pounds pounds per fish 1,000 dollars ---- dollars ---- : Foodsize : Alabama ..........: 52,400 53,000 96,200 95,400 1.8 1.8 112,554 94,446 1.17 0.99 Arkansas .........: 10,600 9,200 16,600 13,700 1.6 1.5 20,584 16,303 1.24 1.19 California .......: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Mississippi ......: 134,000 119,000 201,400 166,800 1.5 1.4 251,750 185,148 1.25 1.11 North Carolina ...: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Texas ............: 11,000 (D) 21,600 (D) 2.0 (D) 22,248 (D) 1.03 (D) : Other States 1/ ..: 2,580 12,750 5,205 23,372 2.0 1.8 14,321 35,214 2.75 1.51 : United States ....: 210,580 193,950 341,005 299,272 1.6 1.5 421,457 331,111 1.24 1.11 : Broodfish : United States ....: 252 226 1,133 945 4.5 4.2 1,836 2,056 1.62 2.18 : : ----- 1,000 ----- 1,000 pounds pounds per 1,000 fish 1,000 dollars --- dollars --- : Stockers : Mississippi 2/ ...: 53,300 (NA) 9,650 (NA) 181.0 (NA) 14,861 (NA) 1.54 (NA) : Other States 1/ ..: 34,005 61,220 3,253 8,074 96.0 132.0 5,450 11,897 1.68 1.47 : United States ....: 87,305 61,220 12,903 8,074 148.0 132.0 20,311 11,897 1.57 1.47 : Fingerlings and fry : : United States ....: 152,865 147,890 4,496 4,374 29.4 29.6 10,287 12,466 2.29 2.85 : -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. (NA) Not available. 1/ Other States include State estimates not shown and States suppressed due to disclosure. 2/ Estimates discontinued in 2025. Foodsize and Stockers Sold by Point of First Sale - United States: 2023 and 2024 [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 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2023 : 2024 : 2023 : 2024 : 2023 : 2024 : 2023 : 2024 : 2023 : 2024 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : percent : Foodsize ...........: 94.9 93.3 0.4 0.5 2.3 2.9 1.3 1.9 1.1 1.4 : :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Wholesale to : Recreational : Live haulers : Government : Other : other producers : stocking : and brokers : agencies : outlets :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2023 : 2024 : 2023 : 2024 : 2023 : 2024 : 2023 : 2024 : 2023 : 2024 :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : percent : Stockers ...........: 77.4 76.4 12.2 11.5 8.2 10.4 0.7 0.5 1.5 1.2 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 Ryan Cowen, Acting Head, Poultry and Specialty Commodities Section ...................................................... (202) 720-3040 Holly Brenize - Poultry Slaughter......................................................................................................... (202) 720-0585 Fatema Haque - Turkey Hatchery, Turkeys Raised ........................................................................................... (202) 720-3244 Derron Martin - Catfish and Trout, Mink, Census of Aquaculture, Egg Products.............................................................. (202) 690-3237 Seth Riggins - Honey, Honey Bee Colonies ................................................................................................. 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