Catfish Production ISSN: 1948-271X Released January 28, 2013, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Catfish Value of Sales Down 20 Percent from 2011 Catfish growers in the United States had sales of 341 million dollars during 2012, down 20 percent from 423 million dollars the previous year. The top four States (Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, and Texas) accounted for 95 percent of the United States total sales. The United States total foodsize sales of 319 million dollars decreased by 18 percent from the previous year. Sales of stockers totaled 10.8 million dollars in 2012, compared to 17.1 million dollars in 2011. Fingerling and fry sales totaled 10.9 million dollars, down 25 percent from 2011. By point of first sale, direct sales to processors accounted for 96 percent of total foodsize fish sales, up 1 percent from the previous year. Direct sales to other producers accounted for 93 percent of stocker sales compared with 73 percent in 2011. Water Surface Acres Down 7 Percent from January 1, 2012 The water surface acres being used for catfish production as of January 1, 2013, totaled 83.0 thousand acres, down 7 percent from the 89.4 thousand acres used a year earlier. Of the total acres, 2.07 thousand are to be renovated during the period of January 1 to June 30, 2013. An additional 85 acres are under construction or expected to be constructed and in use by July 1, 2013. During the period of July 1 through December 31, 2012, the area taken out of production totaled 5.29 thousand acres. As of January 1, 2013, foodsize fish were produced on 65.6 thousand acres, fingerling-producing acres totaled 12.7 thousand, and 2.18 thousand acres were being used for broodfish production. Inventory Numbers Catfish producers had 540 thousand broodfish on hand January 1, 2013, down 4 percent from January 1, 2012. Large foodsize fish on hand totaled 5.2 million on January 1, 2013, a 43 percent increase from a year ago. The number of medium foodsize fish decreased 10 percent to 58.0 million, while small foodsize fish numbers decreased 8 percent to 104 million. Large stockers on hand January 1, 2013, at 127 million fish, were down 23 percent from the previous year. Small stocker numbers decreased 29 percent to 212 million. There were 399 million fingerlings on hand January 1, 2013, down 12 percent from January 1, 2012. Number of Catfish Operations, Water Surface Acres Used for Production, and Total Sales - States and United States: 2011-2013 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number of : Water surface acres : : operations : used for production : Total sales State : on January 1 1/ :during January 1 - June 30 : :--------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2012 : 2013 : 2012 : 2013 : 2011 : 2012 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- number ---- ------- acres ------ -- 1,000 dollars -- : Alabama ........: (NA) (NA) 18,500 18,200 132,782 110,581 Arkansas .......: (NA) (NA) 9,700 8,200 33,452 22,006 California .....: (NA) (NA) 1,600 1,300 8,535 6,629 Louisiana ......: (NA) (NA) 890 320 2,610 1,081 Mississippi ....: (NA) (NA) 51,200 48,600 215,134 175,366 North Carolina .: (NA) (NA) 1,600 1,500 5,539 5,701 Texas ..........: (NA) (NA) 2,800 2,200 19,896 14,433 : Other States 2/ : (NA) (NA) 3,100 2,700 5,257 4,767 : United States ..: 718 624 89,390 83,020 423,205 340,564 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (NA) Not available. 1/ State level number of operations will only be published every five years in conjunction with the Census of Agriculture. 2/ Other States include State estimates not shown and States suppressed due to disclosure. Catfish Water Surface Acre Usage - States and United States: 2011-2013 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : Acres intended for utilization during January 1 - June 30 : Acres taken out :-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------: of production : : : : : : : Currently under : during : : : : : : : or scheduled for: : July 1 - State : Foodsize : Fingerlings : Broodfish :-----------------------------------: December 31 : : : : : : : Renovation :New construction : : :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2012 : 2013 : 2012 : 2013 : 2012 : 2013 : 2012 : 2013 : 2012 : 2013 : 2011 : 2012 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : acres : Alabama ........: 17,800 17,700 430 420 130 55 510 175 (D) - 200 650 Arkansas .......: 7,200 6,200 1,900 1,600 200 270 320 120 - - 1,200 1,100 California .....: 1,100 950 240 180 85 80 (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Louisiana ......: 890 320 - - - - (D) (D) - - 480 (D) Mississippi ....: 39,300 36,300 9,600 9,100 1,500 1,400 1,700 1,300 85 - 700 3,000 North Carolina .: 1,400 1,100 (D) 290 (D) (D) 75 60 (D) (D) 15 (D) Texas ..........: 2,500 2,000 105 50 65 65 90 (D) 40 (D) 210 170 : Other States 1/ : 1,300 1,000 1,455 1,100 260 310 385 415 295 85 150 370 : United States ..: 71,490 65,570 13,730 12,740 2,240 2,180 3,080 2,070 420 85 2,955 5,290 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ - Represents zero. (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. 1/ Other States include State estimates not shown and States suppressed due to disclosure. Catfish Inventory by Size Category - States and United States: January 1, 2012 and 2013 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Live weight Size category : Number of fish :------------------------------------------- and State : : : Total : Average :----------------------------------------------------------------- : 2012 : 2013 : 2012 : 2013 : 2012 : 2013 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------ 1,000 ----- -- 1,000 pounds -- pounds per fish : Large foodsize : Alabama ............: 1,360 1,560 4,700 5,800 3.5 3.7 Arkansas ...........: 190 450 608 1,530 3.2 3.4 California .........: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Louisiana ..........: (D) 20 (D) 69 (D) 3.5 Mississippi ........: 1,210 2,450 4,100 8,400 3.4 3.4 North Carolina .....: 135 (D) 487 (D) 3.6 (D) Texas ..............: 290 270 993 970 3.4 3.6 : Other States 1/ ....: 410 405 1,477 1,319 3.6 3.3 : United States ......: 3,595 5,155 12,365 18,088 3.4 3.5 : Medium foodsize : Alabama ............: 18,300 15,800 36,300 30,400 2.0 1.9 Arkansas ...........: 4,490 5,470 8,300 10,500 1.8 1.9 California .........: 230 (D) 449 (D) 2.0 (D) Louisiana ..........: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Mississippi ........: 33,400 31,800 61,000 60,700 1.8 1.9 North Carolina .....: 1,080 1,470 1,990 2,650 1.8 1.8 Texas ..............: 5,780 2,550 11,000 5,200 1.9 2.0 : Other States 1/ ....: 1,460 925 2,530 1,820 1.7 2.0 : United States ......: 64,740 58,015 121,569 111,270 1.9 1.9 : Small foodsize : Alabama ............: 31,800 27,800 32,200 27,800 1.0 1.0 Arkansas ...........: 8,410 7,080 8,150 7,450 1.0 1.1 California .........: (D) 1,650 (D) 1,460 (D) 0.9 Louisiana ..........: 1,560 (D) 1,130 (D) 0.7 (D) Mississippi ........: 65,700 62,200 65,900 61,800 1.0 1.0 North Carolina .....: 2,150 (D) 2,050 (D) 1.0 (D) Texas ..............: 1,140 2,380 1,290 2,900 1.1 1.2 : Other States 1/ ....: 2,210 2,410 2,030 2,523 0.9 1.0 : United States ......: 112,970 103,520 112,750 103,933 1.0 1.0 : Total foodsize : Alabama ............: 51,460 45,160 73,200 64,000 (NA) (NA) Arkansas ...........: 13,090 13,000 17,058 19,480 (NA) (NA) California .........: 1,520 2,065 1,837 2,399 (NA) (NA) Louisiana ..........: 2,665 475 3,184 803 (NA) (NA) Mississippi ........: 100,310 96,450 131,000 130,900 (NA) (NA) North Carolina .....: 3,365 3,160 4,527 4,831 (NA) (NA) Texas ..............: 7,210 5,200 13,283 9,070 (NA) (NA) : Other States 1/ ....: 1,685 1,180 2,595 1,808 (NA) (NA) : United States ......: 181,305 166,690 246,684 233,291 (NA) (NA) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- See footnote(s) at end of table. --continued Catfish Inventory by Size Category - States and United States: January 1, 2012 and 2013 (continued) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Live weight Size category : Number of fish :------------------------------------------- and State : : : Total : Average :----------------------------------------------------------------- : 2012 : 2013 : 2012 : 2013 : 2012 : 2013 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------ 1,000 ----- 1,000 pounds pounds per 1,000 fish : Large stockers : Alabama ............: 49,600 33,200 17,300 13,200 349 398 Arkansas ...........: 11,000 14,100 4,100 5,450 373 387 California .........: (D) 1,110 (D) 361 (D) 325 Louisiana ..........: (D) - (D) - (D) - Mississippi ........: 92,000 73,700 36,100 28,200 392 383 North Carolina .....: 5,280 (D) 2,950 (D) 559 (D) Texas ..............: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) : Other States 1/ ....: 7,525 5,000 4,044 2,191 537 438 : United States ......: 165,405 127,110 64,494 49,402 390 389 : Small stockers : Alabama ............: 126,000 38,100 12,100 3,500 96.0 91.9 Arkansas ...........: 42,100 31,900 3,700 3,100 87.9 97.2 California .........: (D) 1,490 (D) 139 (D) 93.3 Louisiana ..........: - - - - - - Mississippi ........: 118,000 132,000 11,900 12,100 100.8 91.7 North Carolina .....: 7,960 (D) 1,160 (D) 145.7 (D) Texas ..............: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) : Other States 1/ ....: 4,020 8,660 369 990 91.8 114.3 : United States ......: 298,080 212,150 29,229 19,829 98.1 93.5 : Total stockers : Alabama ............: 175,600 71,300 29,400 16,700 (NA) (NA) Arkansas ...........: 53,100 46,000 7,800 8,550 (NA) (NA) California .........: (D) 2,600 (D) 500 (NA) (NA) Louisiana ..........: (D) - (D) - (NA) (NA) Mississippi ........: 210,000 205,700 48,000 40,300 (NA) (NA) North Carolina .....: 13,240 8,240 4,110 2,162 (NA) (NA) Texas ..............: (D) (D) (D) (D) (NA) (NA) : Other States 1/ ....: 11,545 5,420 4,413 1,019 (NA) (NA) : United States ......: 463,485 339,260 93,723 69,231 (NA) (NA) : Fingerlings : Alabama ............: 38,100 16,600 1,120 568 29.4 34.2 Arkansas ...........: 42,000 39,400 1,570 1,490 37.4 37.8 California .........: 3,710 4,400 110 97 29.6 22.0 Louisiana ..........: - - - - - - Mississippi ........: 332,000 299,000 10,400 7,350 31.3 24.6 North Carolina .....: 7,090 8,350 197 182 27.8 21.8 Texas ..............: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) : Other States 1/ ....: 28,200 30,760 644 716 22.8 23.3 : United States ......: 451,100 398,510 14,041 10,403 31.1 26.1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- See footnote(s) at end of table. --continued Catfish Inventory by Size Category - States and United States: January 1, 2012 and 2013 (continued) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Live weight Size category : Number of fish :------------------------------------------- and State : : : Total : Average :----------------------------------------------------------------- : 2012 : 2013 : 2012 : 2013 : 2012 : 2013 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 --- 1,000 pounds pounds per fish : Broodfish : Alabama ............: 15 10 52 47 3.5 4.7 Arkansas ...........: 70 40 266 206 3.8 5.2 California .........: 15 10 95 69 6.3 6.9 Louisiana ..........: - - - - - - Mississippi ........: 380 400 1,930 2,250 5.1 5.6 North Carolina .....: 7 (D) 68 (D) 9.7 (D) Texas ..............: 15 10 63 47 4.2 4.7 : Other States 1/ ....: 60 70 337 297 5.6 4.2 : United States ......: 562 540 2,811 2,916 5.0 5.4 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Represents zero. (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. (NA) Not available. 1/ Other States include State estimates not shown and States suppressed due to disclosure. Catfish Sales by Size Category - States and United States: 2011 and 2012 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Live weight : Sales : Number of fish :--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Size category : : : Total : Average : Total : Average price and State : : : : : : : : : per pound :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2011 : 2012 : 2011 : 2012 : 2011 : 2012 : 2011 : 2012 : 2011 : 2012 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ----- 1,000 ----- 1,000 pounds pounds per fish 1,000 dollars ---- dollars --- : Foodsize : Alabama ..........: 62,300 64,700 119,200 122,600 1.9 1.9 132,312 110,340 1.11 0.90 Arkansas .........: 14,800 11,300 25,500 20,000 1.7 1.8 26,775 17,400 1.05 0.87 California .......: 1,360 1,260 2,850 2,150 2.1 1.7 8,379 6,472 2.94 3.01 Louisiana ........: 1,810 570 2,250 756 1.2 1.3 2,610 1,081 1.16 1.43 Mississippi ......: 107,000 117,000 173,900 174,800 1.6 1.5 193,029 160,816 1.11 0.92 North Carolina ...: 2,970 2,940 5,200 5,200 1.8 1.8 5,408 5,668 1.04 1.09 Texas ............: 10,400 7,700 16,900 12,700 1.6 1.6 19,266 14,224 1.14 1.12 : Other States 1/ ..: 1,240 1,160 2,200 1,960 1.8 1.7 2,970 2,783 1.35 1.42 : United States ....: 201,880 206,630 348,000 340,166 1.7 1.6 390,749 318,784 1.12 0.94 : : ----- 1,000 ----- 1,000 pounds pounds per 1,000 fish 1,000 dollars ---- dollars --- : Stockers : Alabama ..........: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Arkansas .........: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) California .......: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Louisiana ........: - - - - - - - - - - Mississippi ......: 48,900 26,800 7,700 5,450 157 203 10,780 6,813 1.40 1.25 North Carolina ...: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Texas ............: 25 40 6 7 240 175 12 11 1.95 1.59 : Other States 1/ ..: 27,760 25,675 4,069 2,938 147 114 6,312 3,926 1.55 1.34 : United States ....: 76,685 52,515 11,775 8,395 154 160 17,104 10,750 1.45 1.28 : Fingerlings and fry : Alabama ..........: (D) 2,500 (D) 76 (D) 30.4 (D) 220 (D) 2.90 Arkansas .........: 19,700 (D) 543 (D) 27.6 (D) 1,368 (D) 2.52 (D) California .......: 870 830 26 22 29.9 26.5 111 135 4.27 6.15 Louisiana ........: - - - - - - - - - - Mississippi ......: 216,000 217,000 8,800 6,200 40.7 28.6 11,000 7,688 1.25 1.24 North Carolina ...: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Texas ............: (D) 2,250 (D) 103 (D) 45.8 (D) 198 (D) 1.92 : Other States 1/ ..: 21,020 25,640 769 951 36.6 37.1 2,073 2,694 2.70 2.83 : United States ....: 257,590 248,220 10,138 7,352 39.4 29.6 14,552 10,935 1.44 1.49 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- See footnote(s) at end of table. --continued Catfish Sales by Size Category - States and United States: 2011 and 2012 (continued) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : : : Live weight : Sales Size category : Number of fish :----------------------------------------------------------------------- and State : : : Total : Average : Total : Average price : : : : : : : : per pound :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2011 : 2012 : 2011 : 2012 : 2011 : 2012 : 2011 : 2012 : 2011 : 2012 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : --- 1,000 -- 1,000 pounds pounds per fish 1,000 dollars --- dollars --- : Broodfish : Alabama ........: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Arkansas .......: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) California .....: (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) (D) Louisiana ......: - - - - - - - - - - Mississippi ....: 50 (D) 215 (D) 4.3 (D) 325 (D) 1.51 (D) North Carolina .: - - - - - - - - - - Texas ..........: (D) - (D) - (D) - (D) - (D) - : Other States 1/ : 105 15 348 77 3.3 5.1 475 95 1.36 1.23 : United States ..: 155 15 563 77 3.6 5.1 800 95 1.42 1.23 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ - Represents zero. (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. 1/ Other States include State estimates not shown and States suppressed due to disclosure. Catfish, Foodsize and Stockers Percent Sold by Point of First Sale - United States: 2011 and 2012 [Point of First Sale by outlet may not add to 100 percent due to rounding] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : Recreational : Live haulers : Retail : Other Size category : Processors : stocking : and brokers : outlets : outlets :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2011 : 2012 : 2011 : 2012 : 2011 : 2012 : 2011 : 2012 : 2011 : 2012 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : percent : Foodsize : : United States ....: 95.1 95.6 0.5 0.3 1.2 1.9 1.6 0.9 1.6 1.3 :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Wholesale to : Recreational : Live haulers : Government : Other : other producers : stocking : and brokers : agencies : outlets :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2011 : 2012 : 2011 : 2012 : 2011 : 2012 : 2011 : 2012 : 2011 : 2012 :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : percent : Stockers : : United States ....: 73.2 93.0 3.0 1.6 17.7 5.4 6.0 - - 0.1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Represents zero. 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. Terms and Definitions Used to Describe Point of First Sale Government Agencies: Sales to Federal, State, or local government agencies for the purpose of stocking public waters. Live Hauler/Broker: Sales made to an individual or company that generally purchases live fish from a producer and transports them in an oxygenated tank truck to other outlets. Other Outlets: Sales to outlets not meeting one of the other defined outlets. Point of First Sale Outlet: The first point at which money changes hands. Processors: Sales made directly to a plant for processing. Recreational Stocking: Only includes fish sold to individuals or private entities for the sole purpose of stocking recreational waters. Retail Outlets: Fish sold directly to entities who buy fish to re-sell to consumers. Includes grocers, restaurants, and fish markets. Wholesale to Other Producers: Fish sold to other producers for the intention of growing out for further sale at a later time. Statistical Methodology Survey Procedures: Data for catfish production are collected from all known producers in the seven published states and a sample of producers from the remaining states. Individual NASS 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 January 1 and given adequate time to respond by mail. Those that do not respond by mail are telephoned or possibly enumerated in person during the middle of January. Estimation 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. Data for missing operations were estimated based on similar operations or historical data. 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. Reliability: In the seven published states, catfish production estimates are based on a census of all known active producers and therefore, have no sampling variability. However, since all operations in the other states category are not included in the sample, survey estimates are subject to sampling variability. Survey results are also 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@nass.usda.gov Dan Kerestes, Chief, Livestock Branch ................................... (202) 720-3570 Bruce Boess, Head, Poultry and Specialty Commodities Section ............ (202) 720-4447 Cody Brokmeyer - Poultry Slaughter, Turkey Hatchery, Turkeys Raised .. (202) 690-3237 David Colwell - Cold Storage ......................................... (202) 720-8784 LaKeya Jones - Catfish Processing, Catfish Production, Trout Production, Census of Aquaculture, Honey, Mink .......................... (202) 720-0585 Dawn Keen - Egg Products ............................................. (202) 720-4448 Kim Linonis - Layers, Eggs ........................................... (202) 690-8632 Miste Salmon - Broiler Hatchery, Chicken Hatchery .................... 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