Farm-Raised Catfish
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The U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish Industry began in the early 1960s in Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) quickly became the major catfish grown as it was hardy and easily spawned in earthen ponds. By the late 60s the industry moved into the Mississippi Delta as farmers struggled with sagging profits in cotton, rice and soybeans especially on those farm areas where soils had a very high in clay content. The Mississippi Delta is not a true river delta but rather an aluvian floodplain. The Delta became the industry home for the catfish industry as it had the soils, climate and shallow aquifer to provide water for the earthen ponds that grow 360-380 million pounds (160,000 to 170,000 t) of catfish annually. Catfish are fed a grain based diet that is largely soybean meal. Fish are fed daily through the summer at rates of 1-6% of body weight with the pelleted floating feed. Catfish need approximately double their weight in feed. Mississippi is home to 100,000 acres (400 km²) of catfish ponds the largest of any state. Other states important in growing catfish include Arkansas, Alabama and Louisiana.
