July 28, 2006

US catfish production stable

US commercial catfish production in the four major producing US states of Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi remained largely stable, dipping slightly from 292 million foodsize fish to 291 million this year.

The four major States's broodfish numbers were down 10 percent.

The total number of aquaculture operations in the four states was 753, down 2 percent from the year ago total of 766.

                Item                                     Numbers                            Percentage Change
 
        Large stockers                              275 million                                     9%
 
         Small stockers                             336 million                                   11%
 
        Fingerlings & fry                           1.46 billion                                   0.6%
 
           Live weight                           23.2 million pounds                            50%
 
  Area for catfish production                156,000 acres                                  -1%
 
      Acre for foodsize fish                    124,000 acres                                  -2%
 
      Acre for broodfish                           3860 acres                                     1%
 
Acres for fingerling production              23,400 acres                                    3%