Catfish

Mississippi and catfish have been synonymous terms since the late sixties. Today, there are over 150,000 acres of catfish in the United States, and Mississippi leads the nation in catfish production with over 91,000 acres dedicated to catfish production.

The Delta system of catfish farming is characterized by 15 to 17-acre ponds having levees on all four sides, by water being supplied by large wells, and by farms having several hundred acres in production. The near-level land and abundant groundwater found in the Delta give the area a natural advantage in the production of catfish. Although small in comparison, non-Delta production has also increased.

Some areas with relatively level land have put in Delta-type farms, but most of these areas have watershed ponds and depend on rainfall for fresh water. Production per acre is less on watershed farms, and marketing opportunities in small producing areas include more pond-bank sales and more farm processing to add value to the fish.