Mississippi Catfish: The Catch of the Country

When it comes to catfish, Mississippi isn’t just a big fish in a small pond. We’re the biggest fish in the country.

Mississippi ranks No. 1 in the nation for farm-raised catfish, producing more than 65% of America’s supply. In 2025, 129 Mississippi catfish operations covered more than 28,000 water acres and produced a crop valued at approximately $196 million.

But Mississippi’s connection to catfish runs deeper than the numbers.

Commercial catfish farming took off across the South in the 1960s, and Mississippi quickly emerged as the industry’s center of gravity. By the late 1980s, the state had claimed the nation’s top production spot — a title it has held ever since.

The Mississippi Delta proved particularly well suited for raising catfish, and an entire industry grew around its ponds. Farmers, hatcheries, feed mills, processors, researchers, and rural communities helped turn a Southern staple into one of the most recognized farm-raised fish products.

Today, catfish remains the leading aquaculture species produced in the United States. And getting one from pond to plate takes a little more work than you might think.

A catfish typically takes about 18 months to two years to reach one pound, and ideal market size is 1.7 pounds. During that time, farmers carefully manage feeding, water quality, and oxygen levels in freshwater ponds. Challenges from disease, weather, and fish-eating predators (primarily birds) also require vigilant efforts to maintain pond health. 

Like many producers in today’s economy, catfish farmers are also facing rising costs for feed, labor, energy, and other inputs. At the same time, lower-priced imported fish compete for space on restaurant menus and grocery shelves. 

That makes those three little words — U.S. Farm-Raised — worth looking for. The next time you order catfish, take a closer look at where it came from.

Choosing U.S. farm-raised catfish supports American farmers and the network of hatcheries, processors, feed mills and rural businesses connected to them. And here in Mississippi, there’s a pretty good chance supporting American catfish means supporting a Mississippi farm.

So whether you like yours fried and piled beside hushpuppies, blackened over a salad or grilled straight off the backyard smoker, there’s never been a better reason to keep it local and keep Mississippi catfish on the menu.

Read more about our swimmingly-good commodity of the month here: https://www.fb.org/intel/markets/americas-top-farm-raised-fish-faces-growing-pressures