Commercial catfish operations in the four major producing States (Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, and
Mississippi) had 291 million foodsize fish on hand on July 1, 2006, down slightly from the July 1, 2005 total
of 292 million. The breakouts of foodsize fish inventory numbers on July 1, 2006, with their respective
percent change from the previous year were: large foodsize, 7.13 million, down 1 percent; medium foodsize,
73.7 million, up 2 percent; and small foodsize, 210 million, down 1 percent.
The four major States also had 930 thousand broodfish on hand on July 1, 2006, down 10 percent from last
year's 1.03 million.
The number of large stockers on hand on July 1, 2006, totaled 301 million fish, up 9 percent from the
275 million fish on hand a year ago. There were 336 million small stockers, up 11 percent from last year.
Producers had 1.46 billion fingerlings and fry on hand on July 1, 2006, up slightly from the 1.45 billion on
hand July 1, 2005. Live weight, at 23.2 million pounds, was up 50 percent from the 15.5 million pounds a
year ago.
Water Acres Down 1 Percent
The water surface area to be used for catfish production during July 1 through December 31, 2006, totaled
156 thousand acres, down 1 percent from a year ago. Acres used for foodsize fish totaled 124 thousand acres,
down 2 percent from July 2005. Acres for broodfish increased 1 percent to 3.86 thousand acres, and acres
used for fingerling production increased 3 percent to 23.4 thousand acres.
Acres taken out of production
during the January 1, 2006 through June 30, 2006 period totaled 4.48 thousand, while 5.72 thousand acres of
the total in production were scheduled to be renovated from July 1, 2006 to December 31, 2006. The total
number of operations on July 1, 2006 in the four major states was 753, down 2 percent from the year ago total
of 766.
Water Acres Used For Production Four Major Producing States July 1  |
Source: USDA NASS - Catfish Production Report - 26th July 2006