Catfish Production ISSN: 1948-271X Released July 20, 2012, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Water Surface Acres Down 4 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, 2012, totaled 78.3 thousand acres, down 4 percent from a year ago. Acres used for foodsize fish totaled 62.4 thousand acres, down 5 percent from the same time period in 2011. Acres used for fingerling production increased 5 percent to 12.0 thousand acres, and acres for broodfish increased 5 percent to 1.67 thousand acres. Of the total acres in production, 2.41 thousand were scheduled to be renovated from July 1, 2012, to December 31, 2012, while acres taken out of production during the January 1, 2012, through June 30, 2012, period totaled 2.26 thousand acres. The number of operations on July 1, 2012, in the three major States totaled 348, down 11 percent from last year's total of 389 operations. Foodsize Inventory Numbers Up 1 Percent from a Year Ago Catfish operations in the three major producing States had 161 million foodsize fish on hand on July 1, 2012, up 1 percent from the July 1, 2011, total of 159 million foodsize fish. The breakouts of foodsize fish inventory numbers on July 1, 2012, with their respective percent change from the previous year were: large foodsize, 4.35 million fish, up 69 percent; medium foodsize, 37.5 million fish, up 11 percent; and small foodsize, 119 million fish, down 3 percent. The three major States also had 435 thousand broodfish on hand on July 1, 2012, up 1 percent from last year's 430 thousand broodfish. Catfish operations in the three major producing States had 384 million stockers on hand on July 1, 2012, up 10 percent from the July 1, 2011, total of 349 million stockers. The breakouts of stocker fish inventory numbers on July 1, 2012, with their respective change from the previous year were: large stockers, 215 million fish, up 22 percent; and small stockers, 169 million, down 2 percent from last year. Producers had 686 million fingerlings and fry on hand on July 1, 2012. Number of Catfish Operations and Water Surface Acres Used for Production - Major States: 2011 and 2012 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : Number of operations :Water surface acres used for production State : on July 1 1/ : July 1 - December 31 :----------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2011 : 2012 : 2011 : 2012 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : ------ number ------ ---------- acres --------- : Alabama ......................: (NA) (NA) 19,100 18,600 Arkansas .....................: (NA) (NA) 10,700 9,000 Mississippi ..................: (NA) (NA) 51,700 50,700 : Three State total ............: 389 348 81,500 78,300 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (NA) Not available. 1/ State level number of operations will only be published every five years in conjunction with the Census of Agriculture. Catfish Water Surface Acres by Use - Major States: 2011 and 2012 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :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 : : 2011 : Alabama ......................: 18,300 560 75 160 (D) 340 Arkansas .....................: 8,200 2,100 220 170 (D) 1,500 Mississippi ..................: 39,000 8,800 1,300 1,900 (D) 2,700 : Three State total ............: 65,500 11,460 1,595 2,230 190 4,540 : 2012 : Alabama ......................: 18,100 440 60 (D) (D) 290 Arkansas .....................: 7,000 1,700 210 (D) (D) 70 Mississippi ..................: 37,300 9,900 1,400 2,000 - 1,900 : Three State total ............: 62,400 12,040 1,670 2,410 35 2,260 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Represents zero. (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. Catfish Inventory by Size Category - Major States: July 1, 2011 and 2012 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : : Live weight Size category : Number of fish :------------------------------------- and State : : Total : Average :------------------------------------------------------- : 2011 : 2012 : 2011 : 2012 : 2011 : 2012 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : ---- 1,000 ---- 1,000 pounds pounds per fish : Large foodsize : Alabama ..............: 1,080 1,630 4,000 5,700 3.7 3.5 Arkansas .............: 260 550 912 2,000 3.5 3.6 Mississippi ..........: 1,230 2,170 4,600 7,700 3.7 3.5 : Three State total ....: 2,570 4,350 9,512 15,400 3.7 3.5 : Medium foodsize : Alabama ..............: 15,900 14,400 29,600 27,900 1.9 1.9 Arkansas .............: 4,900 4,420 9,400 8,000 1.9 1.8 Mississippi ..........: 13,000 18,700 22,500 34,400 1.7 1.8 : Three State total ....: 33,800 37,520 61,500 70,300 1.8 1.9 : Small foodsize : Alabama ..............: 53,700 47,200 51,500 46,300 1.0 1.0 Arkansas .............: 9,200 10,500 8,750 10,300 1.0 1.0 Mississippi ..........: 59,500 61,000 58,300 60,500 1.0 1.0 : Three State total ....:122,400 118,700 118,550 117,100 1.0 1.0 : All foodsize : Alabama ..............: 70,680 63,230 85,100 79,900 (X) (X) Arkansas .............: 14,360 15,470 19,062 20,300 (X) (X) Mississippi ..........: 73,730 81,870 85,400 102,600 (X) (X) : Three State total ....:158,770 160,570 189,562 202,800 (X) (X) : Broodfish : Alabama ..............: 40 15 144 70 3.6 4.7 Arkansas .............: 50 50 200 204 4.0 4.1 Mississippi ..........: 340 370 1,650 1,990 4.9 5.4 : Three State total ....: 430 435 1,994 2,264 4.6 5.2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ See footnote(s) at end of table. --continued Catfish Inventory by Size Category - Major States: July 1, 2011 and 2012 (continued) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : Live weight Size category : Number of fish :------------------------------------------- and State : : Total : Average :----------------------------------------------------------------- : 2011 : 2012 : 2011 : 2012 : 2011 : 2012 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------ 1,000 ----- 1,000 pounds pounds per 1,000 fish : Large stockers : Alabama ..............: 45,000 42,500 17,400 16,400 387 386 Arkansas .............: 13,400 12,800 5,750 4,900 429 383 Mississippi ..........: 118,000 160,000 47,600 57,600 403 360 : Three State total ....: 176,400 215,300 70,750 78,900 401 366 : Small stockers : Alabama ..............: 44,200 37,400 5,200 3,750 118.0 100.0 Arkansas .............: 32,000 25,300 3,050 2,500 95.3 98.8 Mississippi ..........: 96,600 106,000 9,500 10,500 98.3 99.1 : Three State total ....: 172,800 168,700 17,750 16,750 102.7 99.3 : Total stockers : Alabama ..............: 89,200 79,900 22,600 20,150 (X) (X) Arkansas .............: 45,400 38,100 8,800 7,400 (X) (X) Mississippi ..........: 214,600 266,000 57,100 68,100 (X) (X) : Three State total ....: 349,200 384,000 88,500 95,650 (X) (X) : Fingerlings and fry : Alabama ..............: 47,900 38,100 784 932 16.4 24.5 Arkansas .............: 99,700 72,600 2,100 1,080 21.1 14.9 Mississippi ..........: 584,000 575,000 8,550 10,200 14.6 17.7 : Three State total ....: 731,600 685,700 11,434 12,212 15.6 17.8 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (X) Not applicable. Statistical Methodology Survey Procedures: All known catfish producers in the three published states are surveyed to collect production data. 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 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. 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 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, Egg Products, Mink ............ (202) 720-0585 Kim Linonis - Layers, Eggs ........................................... (202) 690-8632 Miste Salmon - Broiler Hatchery, Chicken Hatchery .................... (202) 720-3244 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: http://www.nass.usda.gov Both national and state specific reports are available via a free e- mail subscription. 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