Catfish Production
ISSN: 1948-271X
Released July 24, 2015, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service
(NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA).
Special Note
January and July Catfish Production data are now available on Quick Stats
starting with 2010 and 2011 respectively. Please contact the Livestock
Branch at (202) 720-3570 or email at [email protected] with any
questions or concerns.
Water Surface Acres Down 11 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, 2015, totaled 57.0 thousand acres, down 11 percent from a year
ago. Acres used for foodsize fish totaled 44.8 thousand acres, down
10 percent from the same time period in 2014. Acres used for fingerling
production are down 3 percent to 8.28 thousand acres, and acres for
broodfish are up 21 percent to 1.64 thousand acres. Of the total acres in
production,
2.93 thousand were scheduled to be renovated from July 1, 2015, to December
31, 2015, while acres taken out of production during the January 1, 2015,
through June 30, 2015, period totaled 2.27 thousand acres.
Foodsize Inventory Numbers Down 15 Percent from a Year Ago
Catfish operations in the three major producing States had 101 million
foodsize fish on hand on July 1, 2015, down 15 percent from the July 1,
2014, total of 119 million foodsize fish. The breakouts of foodsize fish
inventory numbers on July 1, 2015, with their respective percent change from
the previous year were: large foodsize, 1.98 million fish, up 20 percent;
medium foodsize, 27.7 million fish, up 29 percent; and small foodsize, 71.5
million fish, down 26 percent. The three major States also had 435 thousand
broodfish on hand on July 1, 2015, down 1 percent from last year’s 440
thousand broodfish.
Catfish operations in the three major producing States had 257 million
stockers on hand on July 1, 2015, down 4 percent from the July 1, 2014,
total of 268 million stockers. The breakouts of stocker fish inventory
numbers on July 1, 2015, with their respective change from the previous year
were: large stockers, 133 million fish, down 13 percent; and small stockers,
124 million, up 7 percent from last year. Producers had 446 million
fingerlings and fry on hand on July 1, 2015.
Water Surface Acres Used for Production – Major States: 2014 and 2015
—————————————————————————-
——————————————–
: Water surface acres used
for production July 1 – December 31
State :
:
—————————————————————————-
——————————————–
: 2014
: 2015
—————————————————————————-
——————————————–
:
acres
:
Alabama …………………………..: 16,300
15,200
Arkansas ………………………….: 6,100
4,800
Mississippi ……………………….: 41,300
37,000
:
Three State total ………………….: 63,700
57,000
—————————————————————————-
——————————————–
Catfish Water Surface Acres by Use – Major States: 2014 and 2015
—————————————————————————-
———————————
:Acres intended for utilization during July 1
– December 31 for:
:————————————————————–:Acres taken
out
: : : :
Currently under : of production
State and year : : : : or
scheduled for : during
: Foodsize :Fingerlings: Broodfish
:————————–: January 1 –
: : : :
: New : June 30
: : : :
Renovation :construction :
—————————————————————————-
———————————
: acres
:
:
2014 :
Alabama ………………….: 15,700 430 75 (D)
(D) 770
Arkansas …………………: 4,600 1,100 175 (D)
– 700
Mississippi ………………: 29,500 7,000 1,100 3,300
(D) 870
:
Three State total …………: 49,800 8,530 1,350 4,160
20 2,340
:
2015 :
Alabama ………………….: 14,600 480 55 (D)
(D) 200
Arkansas …………………: 3,400 1,200 180 (D)
– 570
Mississippi ………………: 26,800 6,600 1,400 2,700
(D) 1,500
:
Three State total …………: 44,800 8,280 1,635 2,930
25 2,270
—————————————————————————-
———————————
– Represents zero.
(D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations.
Catfish Inventory by Size Category – Major States: July 1, 2014 and 2015
—————————————————————————-
—
: : Live weight
Size category : Number of fish
:————————————-
and State : : Total : Average
:——————————————————-
: 2014 : 2015 : 2014 : 2015 : 2014 : 2015
—————————————————————————-
—
: —- 1,000 —- 1,000 pounds pounds per fish
:
Large foodsize :
Alabama …………..: 800 940 2,950 3,500 3.7 3.7
Arkansas ………….: 200 190 745 675 3.7 3.6
Mississippi ……….: 650 850 2,150 3,000 3.3 3.5
:
Three State total ….: 1,650 1,980 5,845 7,175 3.5 3.6
:
Medium foodsize :
Alabama …………..: 8,580 9,750 16,800 19,100 2.0 2.0
Arkansas ………….: 1,340 1,960 2,650 3,500 2.0 1.8
Mississippi ……….: 11,600 16,000 21,200 29,700 1.8 1.9
:
Three State total ….: 21,520 27,710 40,650 52,300 1.9 1.9
:
Small foodsize :
Alabama …………..: 35,500 31,200 35,500 31,800 1.0 1.0
Arkansas ………….: 10,200 4,820 10,500 4,900 1.0 1.0
Mississippi ……….: 50,400 35,500 49,800 36,000 1.0 1.0
:
Three State total ….: 96,100 71,520 95,800 72,700 1.0 1.0
:
All foodsize :
Alabama …………..: 44,880 41,890 55,250 54,400 (X) (X)
Arkansas ………….: 11,740 6,970 13,895 9,075 (X) (X)
Mississippi ……….: 62,650 52,350 73,150 68,700 (X) (X)
:
Three State total ….:119,270 101,210 142,295 132,175 (X) (X)
:
Broodfish :
Alabama …………..: 20 15 84 35 4.2 2.3
Arkansas ………….: 60 50 285 252 4.8 5.0
Mississippi ……….: 360 370 1,810 1,980 5.0 5.4
:
Three State total ….: 440 435 2,179 2,267 5.0 5.2
—————————————————————————-
—
See footnote(s) at end of table.
–continued
Catfish Inventory by Size Category – Major States: July 1, 2014 and 2015
(continued)
—————————————————————————-
————
: : Live weight
Size category : Number of fish
:——————————————-
and State : : Total :
Average
:—————————————————————–
: 2014 : 2015 : 2014 : 2015 : 2014
: 2015
—————————————————————————-
————
: —— 1,000 —– 1,000 pounds pounds
per 1,000 fish
:
Large stockers :
Alabama …………..: 52,300 43,500 18,300 15,700 350
361
Arkansas ………….: 4,370 9,290 1,430 2,900 327
312
Mississippi ……….: 95,500 80,100 37,900 32,400 397
405
:
Three State total ….: 152,170 132,890 57,630 51,000 379
384
:
Small stockers :
Alabama …………..: 22,900 27,600 2,250 2,350 98.3
85.1
Arkansas ………….: 7,360 14,100 696 1,230 94.6
87.2
Mississippi ……….: 85,700 82,100 9,850 10,000 115.0
122.0
:
Three State total ….: 115,960 123,800 12,796 13,580 110.3
109.7
:
Total stockers :
Alabama …………..: 75,200 71,100 20,550 18,050 (X)
(X)
Arkansas ………….: 11,730 23,390 2,126 4,130 (X)
(X)
Mississippi ……….: 181,200 162,200 47,750 42,400 (X)
(X)
:
Three State total ….: 268,130 256,690 70,426 64,580 (X)
(X)
:
Fingerlings and fry :
Alabama …………..: 43,700 44,700 1,150 1,130 26.3
25.3
Arkansas ………….: 59,900 46,000 655 1,080 10.9
23.5
Mississippi ……….: 407,000 355,000 4,350 6,400 10.7
18.0
:
Three State total ….: 510,600 445,700 6,155 8,610 12.1
19.3
—————————————————————————-
————
(X) Not applicable.
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 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.
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.
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
Alissa Cowell-Mytar – Cold Storage ……………………………….
(202) 720-4751
Heidi Gleich – Broiler Hatchery, Chicken Hatchery ………………….
(202) 720-0585
Michael Klamm – Poultry Slaughter, Turkey Hatchery, Turkeys Raised …..
(202) 690-3237
Tom Kruchten – Census of Aquaculture ……………………………..
(202) 690-4870
Kim Linonis – Layers, Eggs ………………………………………
(202) 690-8632
Sammy Neal – Catfish Production, Egg Products, Mink, Trout Production ..
(202) 720-3244
Joshua O’Rear – Honey …………………………………………..
(202) 690-3676
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