Catfish Production - Publication

Catfish Production
ISSN: 1948-271X

Released July 20, 2012, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA).

Water Surface Acres Down 4 Percent from Last Year
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, 2012, totaled 78.3 thousand acres, down 4 percent from a year ago.
Acres used for foodsize fish totaled 62.4 thousand acres, down 5 percent from the same time period in 2011. Acres used
for fingerling production increased 5 percent to 12.0 thousand acres, and acres for broodfish increased 5 percent to
1.67 thousand acres. Of the total acres in production, 2.41 thousand were scheduled to be renovated from July 1, 2012, to
December 31, 2012, while acres taken out of production during the January 1, 2012, through June 30, 2012, period totaled
2.26 thousand acres. The number of operations on July 1, 2012, in the three major States totaled 348, down 11 percent
from last year’s total of 389 operations.

Foodsize Inventory Numbers Up 1 Percent from a Year Ago
Catfish operations in the three major producing States had 161 million foodsize fish on hand on July 1, 2012, up 1 percent
from the July 1, 2011, total of 159 million foodsize fish. The breakouts of foodsize fish inventory numbers on
July 1, 2012, with their respective percent change from the previous year were: large foodsize, 4.35 million fish, up
69 percent; medium foodsize, 37.5 million fish, up 11 percent; and small foodsize, 119 million fish, down 3 percent. The
three major States also had 435 thousand broodfish on hand on July 1, 2012, up 1 percent from last year's 430 thousand
broodfish.
Catfish operations in the three major producing States had 384 million stockers on hand on July 1, 2012, up 10 percent
from the July 1, 2011, total of 349 million stockers. The breakouts of stocker fish inventory numbers on July 1, 2012, with
their respective change from the previous year were: large stockers, 215 million fish, up 22 percent; and small stockers,
169 million, down 2 percent from last year. Producers had 686 million fingerlings and fry on hand on July 1, 2012.

Number of Catfish Operations and Water Surface Acres Used for Production – Major States:
2011 and 2012
Number of operations
on July 1 1

State

Water surface acres used for production
July 1 - December 31

2011

2012

2011

2012

(number)

(number)

(acres)

(acres)

Alabama ....................................................
Arkansas ....................................................
Mississippi .................................................

(NA)
(NA)
(NA)

(NA)
(NA)
(NA)

19,100
10,700
51,700

18,600
9,000
50,700

Three State total ........................................

389

348

81,500

78,300

(NA) Not available.
1
State level number of operations will only be published every five years in conjunction with the Census of Agriculture.

Catfish Water Surface Acres by Use – Major States: 2011 and 2012
Acres intended for utilization during July 1 - December 31 for
State and year

Foodsize

Fingerlings

(acres)

(acres)

Broodfish

(acres)

Renovation

New
construction

Acres taken out
of production
during
January 1 June 30

(acres)

(acres)

(acres)

Currently under
or scheduled for

2011
Alabama ...............................................
Arkansas ...............................................
Mississippi ............................................

18,300
8,200
39,000

560
2,100
8,800

75
220
1,300

160
170
1,900

(D)
(D)
(D)

340
1,500
2,700

Three State total ...................................

65,500

11,460

1,595

2,230

190

4,540

2012
Alabama ...............................................
Arkansas ...............................................
Mississippi ............................................

18,100
7,000
37,300

440
1,700
9,900

60
210
1,400

(D)
(D)
2,000

(D)
(D)
-

290
70
1,900

Three State total ...................................

62,400

12,040

1,670

2,410

35

2,260

- Represents zero.
(D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations.

2

Catfish Production (July 2012)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

Catfish Inventory by Size Category – Major States: July 1, 2011 and 2012
Size category
and State

Live weight

Number of fish

Total

Average

2011

2012

2011

2012

2011

2012

(1,000)

(1,000)

(1,000 pounds)

(1,000 pounds)

(pounds per fish)

(pounds per fish)

Large foodsize
Alabama .................................................
Arkansas ................................................
Mississippi ..............................................

1,080
260
1,230

1,630
550
2,170

4,000
912
4,600

5,700
2,000
7,700

3.7
3.5
3.7

3.5
3.6
3.5

Three State total .....................................

2,570

4,350

9,512

15,400

3.7

3.5

Medium foodsize
Alabama .................................................
Arkansas ................................................
Mississippi ..............................................

15,900
4,900
13,000

14,400
4,420
18,700

29,600
9,400
22,500

27,900
8,000
34,400

1.9
1.9
1.7

1.9
1.8
1.8

Three State total .....................................

33,800

37,520

61,500

70,300

1.8

1.9

Small foodsize
Alabama .................................................
Arkansas ................................................
Mississippi ..............................................

53,700
9,200
59,500

47,200
10,500
61,000

51,500
8,750
58,300

46,300
10,300
60,500

1.0
1.0
1.0

1.0
1.0
1.0

Three State total .....................................

122,400

118,700

118,550

117,100

1.0

1.0

All foodsize
Alabama .................................................
Arkansas ................................................
Mississippi ..............................................

70,680
14,360
73,730

63,230
15,470
81,870

85,100
19,062
85,400

79,900
20,300
102,600

(X)
(X)
(X)

(X)
(X)
(X)

Three State total .....................................

158,770

160,570

189,562

202,800

(X)

(X)

Broodfish
Alabama .................................................
Arkansas ................................................
Mississippi ..............................................

40
50
340

15
50
370

144
200
1,650

70
204
1,990

3.6
4.0
4.9

4.7
4.1
5.4

Three State total .....................................

430

435

1,994

2,264

4.6

See footnote(s) at end of table.

Catfish Production (July 2012)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

5.2
--continued

3

Catfish Inventory by Size Category – Major States: July 1, 2011 and 2012 (continued)
Size category
and State

Live weight

Number of fish
2011
(1,000)

Total

2012
(1,000)

2011

Average
2012

2011

2012

(1,000 pounds)

(1,000 pounds)

(pounds per
1,000 fish)

(pounds per
1,000 fish)

Large stockers
Alabama .........................................
Arkansas .........................................
Mississippi ......................................

45,000
13,400
118,000

42,500
12,800
160,000

17,400
5,750
47,600

16,400
4,900
57,600

387
429
403

386
383
360

Three State total .............................

176,400

215,300

70,750

78,900

401

366

Small stockers
Alabama .........................................
Arkansas .........................................
Mississippi ......................................

44,200
32,000
96,600

37,400
25,300
106,000

5,200
3,050
9,500

3,750
2,500
10,500

118.0
95.3
98.3

100.0
98.8
99.1

Three State total .............................

172,800

168,700

17,750

16,750

102.7

99.3

Total stockers
Alabama .........................................
Arkansas .........................................
Mississippi ......................................

89,200
45,400
214,600

79,900
38,100
266,000

22,600
8,800
57,100

20,150
7,400
68,100

(X)
(X)
(X)

(X)
(X)
(X)

Three State total .............................

349,200

384,000

88,500

95,650

(X)

(X)

Fingerlings and fry
Alabama .........................................
Arkansas .........................................
Mississippi ......................................

47,900
99,700
584,000

38,100
72,600
575,000

784
2,100
8,550

932
1,080
10,200

16.4
21.1
14.6

24.5
14.9
17.7

Three State total .............................

731,600

685,700

11,434

12,212

15.6

17.8

(X) Not applicable.

4

Catfish Production (July 2012)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

Statistical Methodology
Survey Procedures: All known catfish producers in the three published states are surveyed to collect production data.
Individual NASS 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 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 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.

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.

Catfish Production (July 2012)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

5

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 [email protected]
Dan Kerestes, Chief, Livestock Branch .......................................................................................................... (202) 720-3570
Bruce Boess, Head, Poultry and Specialty Commodities Section ................................................................... (202) 720-4447
Cody Brokmeyer – Poultry Slaughter, Turkey Hatchery, Turkeys Raised ............................................... (202) 690-3237
David Colwell – Cold Storage .................................................................................................................. (202) 720-8784
LaKeya Jones – Catfish Processing, Catfish Production, Trout Production,
Census of Aquaculture, Honey, Egg Products, Mink .......................................................................... (202) 720-0585
Kim Linonis – Layers, Eggs ..................................................................................................................... (202) 690-8632
Miste Salmon – Broiler Hatchery, Chicken Hatchery .............................................................................. (202) 720-3244

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