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 : Alabama ................................: 15,600 14,900 Arkansas ...............................: 3,700 3,600 Mississippi ............................: 33,900 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: :--------------------------------------------------------------:Acres taken out : : : : Currently under : of production Year and State : : : : or scheduled for : during : Foodsize :Fingerlings: Broodfish :--------------------------: January 1 - : : : : : New : June 30 : : : : Renovation :construction : ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : acres : : 2021 : Alabama ......................: 15,200 340 10 (D) 160 105 Arkansas .....................: 2,500 1,000 95 (D) - - Mississippi ..................: 24,000 5,500 1,500 2,000 270 580 : 3 State total ................: 41,700 6,840 1,605 2,705 430 685 : 2022 : Alabama ......................: 14,400 (D) 20 (D) 125 (D) Arkansas .....................: 2,300 (D) 110 (D) - - Mississippi ..................: 24,200 6,000 1,700 1,500 380 (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. Catfish Inventory by Size Category - Major States: July 1, 2021 and 2022 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : : Live weight Size category : Fish :------------------------------------- and State : : Total : Average :------------------------------------------------------- : 2021 : 2022 : 2021 : 2022 : 2021 : 2022 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : ---- 1,000 ---- 1,000 pounds pounds per fish : Large foodsize : Alabama ..............: 1,670 1,240 6,300 4,900 3.8 4.0 Arkansas .............: 230 185 816 653 3.5 3.5 Mississippi ..........: 1,190 1,650 3,900 5,600 3.3 3.4 : 3 State total ........: 3,090 3,075 11,016 11,153 3.6 3.6 : Medium foodsize : Alabama ..............: 11,800 10,600 23,600 21,300 2.0 2.0 Arkansas .............: 2,360 1,920 4,450 3,700 1.9 1.9 Mississippi ..........: 13,900 26,700 26,900 47,200 1.9 1.8 : 3 State total ........: 28,060 39,220 54,950 72,200 2.0 1.8 : Small foodsize : Alabama ..............: 28,900 29,100 28,300 29,400 1.0 1.0 Arkansas .............: 3,650 3,360 3,900 3,400 1.1 1.0 Mississippi ..........: 46,500 39,300 46,800 39,800 1.0 1.0 : 3 State total ........: 79,050 71,760 79,000 72,600 1.0 1.0 : Total foodsize : Alabama ..............: 42,370 40,940 58,200 55,600 (X) (X) Arkansas .............: 6,240 5,465 9,166 7,753 (X) (X) Mississippi ..........: 61,590 67,650 77,600 92,600 (X) (X) : 3 State total ........:110,200 114,055 144,966 155,953 (X) (X) : Broodfish : Alabama ..............: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Arkansas .............: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Mississippi ..........: 580 690 2,950 3,350 5.1 4.9 : 3 State total ........: 615 725 3,112 3,504 5.1 4.8 : ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ See footnote(s) at end of table. --continued Catfish Inventory by Size Category - Major States: July 1, 2021 and 2022 (continued) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : Live weight Size category : Fish :------------------------------------------- and State : : Total : Average :----------------------------------------------------------------- : 2021 : 2022 : 2021 : 2022 : 2021 : 2022 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------ 1,000 ----- 1,000 pounds pounds per 1,000 fish : Large stockers : Alabama ..............: 55,900 (D) 20,900 (D) 374 (D) Arkansas .............: 8,000 (D) 2,950 (D) 369 (D) Mississippi ..........: 81,500 60,700 26,200 23,700 321 390 : 3 State total ........: 145,400 120,220 50,050 45,400 344 378 : Small stockers : Alabama ..............: 43,600 (D) 4,500 (D) 103.0 (D) Arkansas .............: 4,100 (D) 401 (D) 97.8 (D) Mississippi ..........: 121,000 110,000 14,000 11,400 116.0 104.0 : 3 State total ........: 168,700 175,480 18,901 18,465 112.0 105.0 : Total stockers : Alabama ..............: 99,500 113,300 25,400 25,400 (X) (X) Arkansas .............: 12,100 11,700 3,351 3,365 (X) (X) Mississippi ..........: 202,500 170,700 40,200 35,100 (X) (X) : 3 State total ........: 314,100 295,700 68,951 63,865 (X) (X) : Fingerlings and fry : Alabama ..............: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Arkansas .............: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Mississippi ..........: 415,000 400,000 5,700 6,150 13.7 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. 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. 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 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 Access to NASS Reports For your convenience, you may access NASS reports and products the following ways: All reports are available electronically, at no cost, on the NASS web site: www.nass.usda.gov. Both national and state specific reports are available via a free e- mail subscription. To set-up this free subscription, visit www.nass.usda.gov and click on "National" or "State" in upper right corner above "search" box to create an account and select the reports you would like to receive. Cornell's Mann Library has launched a new website housing NASS's and other agency's archived reports. The new website, https://usda.library.cornell.edu. All email subscriptions containing reports will be sent from the new website, https://usda.library.cornell.edu. 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