Catfish Production - Release - 07-20-2022

Catfish Production
ISSN: 1948-271X

Released July 20, 2022, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA).

Water Surface Acres Down 3 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, 2022, totaled 51,800 acres, down 3 percent from a year ago. Acres used
for Foodsize fish totaled 40,900, down 2 percent from the same time period in 2021. Acres used for Fingerling production
at 7,150 acres, are up 5 percent, and acres for Broodfish at 1,830 acres, are up 14 percent. Of the total acres in production,
2,005 acres were scheduled to be renovated from July 1 to December 31, 2022 compared with 1,190 acres taken out of
production during the period of January 1 through June 30, 2022.

Foodsize Inventory Up 3 Percent
Catfish operations in the three major producing States had 114 million Foodsize fish on hand on July 1, 2022, up 3 percent
from July 1, 2021. The breakouts of Foodsize fish inventory numbers on July 1, 2022, with their respective percent
change from the previous year were: Large foodsize at 3.08 million fish, down slightly; Medium foodsize at 39.2 million
fish, up 40 percent; and Small foodsize at 71.8 million fish, down 9 percent. The three major Catfish producing States also
had 725,000 Broodfish on hand on July 1, 2022, up 18 percent from last year's 615,000 Broodfish.
Catfish operations in the three major producing States had 296 million Stockers on hand on July 1, 2022, down 6 percent
from the July 1, 2021 total of 314 million Stockers. The breakouts of Stocker fish inventory numbers on July 1, 2022, with
their respective change from the previous year were: Large stockers at 120 million fish, down 17 percent from the
previous year and Small stockers at 175 million fish, up 4 percent from last year. Producers had 453 million Fingerlings
and fry on hand on July 1, 2022, down 2 percent from July 1, 2021.

Water Surface Acres Used for Production - Major States: 2021 and 2022
Water surface acres used for production July 1 - December 31

State

2021

2022

(acres)

(acres)

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

15,600
3,700
33,900

14,900
3,600
33,300

3 State total .............................................................

53,200

51,800

Catfish Water Surface Acres by Use – Major States: 2021 and 2022
Acres intended for utilization during July 1 - December 31 for
Year and State

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

2021
Alabama ...................................................
Arkansas ..................................................
Mississippi ................................................

15,200
2,500
24,000

340
1,000
5,500

10
95
1,500

(D)
(D)
2,000

160
270

105
580

3 State total ..............................................

41,700

6,840

1,605

2,705

430

685

2022
Alabama ...................................................
Arkansas ..................................................
Mississippi ................................................

14,400
2,300
24,200

(D)
(D)
6,000

20
110
1,700

(D)
(D)
1,500

125
380

(D)
(D)

3 State total ..............................................

40,900

7,150

1,830

2,005

505

1,190

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

2

Catfish Production (July 2022)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

Catfish Inventory by Size Category – Major States: July 1, 2021 and 2022
Live weight

Fish

Size category
and State

Total

Average

2021

2022

2021

2022

2021

2022

(1,000)

(1,000)

(1,000 pounds)

(1,000 pounds)

(pounds per fish)

(pounds per fish)

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

1,670
230
1,190

1,240
185
1,650

6,300
816
3,900

4,900
653
5,600

3.8
3.5
3.3

4.0
3.5
3.4

3 State total ................................................

3,090

3,075

11,016

11,153

3.6

3.6

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

11,800
2,360
13,900

10,600
1,920
26,700

23,600
4,450
26,900

21,300
3,700
47,200

2.0
1.9
1.9

2.0
1.9
1.8

3 State total ................................................

28,060

39,220

54,950

72,200

2.0

1.8

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

28,900
3,650
46,500

29,100
3,360
39,300

28,300
3,900
46,800

29,400
3,400
39,800

1.0
1.1
1.0

1.0
1.0
1.0

3 State total ................................................

79,050

71,760

79,000

72,600

1.0

1.0

Total foodsize
Alabama .....................................................
Arkansas ....................................................
Mississippi ..................................................

42,370
6,240
61,590

40,940
5,465
67,650

58,200
9,166
77,600

55,600
7,753
92,600

(X)
(X)
(X)

(X)
(X)
(X)

3 State total ................................................

110,200

114,055

144,966

155,953

(X)

(X)

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

(D)
(D)
580

(D)
(D)
690

(D)
(D)
2,950

(D)
(D)
3,350

(D)
(D)
5.1

(D)
(D)
4.9

3 State total ................................................

615

725

3,112

3,504

5.1

4.8

See footnote(s) at end of table.

Catfish Production (July 2022)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

--continued

3

Catfish Inventory by Size Category – Major States: July 1, 2021 and 2022 (continued)
Live weight

Fish

Size category
and State
2021
(1,000)

Total
2022
(1,000)

2021

Average
2022

2021

2022

(1,000 pounds)

(1,000 pounds)

(pounds per
1,000 fish)

(pounds per
1,000 fish)

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

55,900
8,000
81,500

(D)
(D)
60,700

20,900
2,950
26,200

(D)
(D)
23,700

374
369
321

(D)
(D)
390

3 State total ........................................

145,400

120,220

50,050

45,400

344

378

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

43,600
4,100
121,000

(D)
(D)
110,000

4,500
401
14,000

(D)
(D)
11,400

103.0
97.8
116.0

(D)
(D)
104.0

3 State total ........................................

168,700

175,480

18,901

18,465

112.0

105.0

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

99,500
12,100
202,500

113,300
11,700
170,700

25,400
3,351
40,200

25,400
3,365
35,100

(X)
(X)
(X)

(X)
(X)
(X)

3 State total ........................................

314,100

295,700

68,951

63,865

(X)

(X)

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

(D)
(D)
415,000

(D)
(D)
400,000

(D)
(D)
5,700

(D)
(D)
6,150

(D)
(D)
13.7

(D)
(D)
15.4

3 State total ........................................

460,010

452,950

6,479

7,423

14.1

16.4

(D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations.
(X) Not applicable.

4

Catfish Production (July 2022)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

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.

Catfish Production (July 2022)
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]
Travis Averill, Chief, Livestock Branch ...................................................................................................... (202) 692-0069
Jean Porter, Head, Poultry and Specialty Commodities Section ................................................................... (202) 690-3223
Holly Brenize – Poultry Slaughter.......................................................................................................... (202) 720-0585
Alissa Cowell-Mytar – Cold Storage, Capacity of Refrigerated Warehouses ......................................... (202) 720-4751
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
Autumn Stone – Layers, Eggs ............................................................................................................... (202) 690-3676
Takiyah Walker – Broiler Hatchery........................................................................................................ (202) 720-6147

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