| 1. U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish is known for its consistency. Achieving that consistency begins with the selection and mating of mature catfish. Mature catfish remain in production an average of 12 years and lay 3,000 to 4,000 eggs annually per pound of body weight. Once the eggs are laid and fertilized, they are collected and taken to special hatcheries designed to replicate the natural environment. The eggs hatch after seven days and move to the next level of maturation, called sac fry because of the attached yolk sacs that supply their food. |
| 2. As the food sacs are depleted, the tiny U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish begin to swim and are moved to special ponds where they grow into fingerlings. When the fingerlings are about 4- to 6-inches long (the size of an index finger), they are placed in man-made ponds filled with fresh water pumped from underground wells. |
| 3. U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish is raised in a quality-controlled environment of clay-based ponds filled with pure, fresh water pumped from underground wells. The average pond, constructed by building above-ground levees to serve as natural barriers, is 10 to 20 land acres in area and 4- to 6-feet deep. Approximately 95 percent of the nations U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish is raised in Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama, and Louisiana. |
| 4. U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish is fed puffed, high-protein, floating food pellets produced by area feed mills. The specially formulated feed is one reason for the consistently mild taste of U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish. |
| 5. After 18 months, or when the U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish reach about 1.5 pounds each, they are harvested with seines (large weighted nets) and loading baskets, then taken alive to processing plants in aerated tank trucks. |
| 6. Once the U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish reaches the plants, the entire production process takes less than 30 minutes, making top-quality U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish among the freshest fish available. The catfish is cleaned, processed, and placed on ice or frozen to a temperature of 40 degrees below zero using an individually quick-frozen (IQF) method that preserves the taste and quality of the fish. U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish is then sold as whole fish, steaks, fillets, strips, and nuggets, as well as marinated and pre-breaded or pre-cooked in frozen dinners. |
| 7. All processors affiliated with The Catfish Institute (TCI), an association of catfish farmers, processors, and feed manufacturers, carry the U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish seal on their product. This seal indicates both the catfish farmer and processor meet the highest quality standards and pass the inspections required by the U.S. government. By guaranteeing freshness and meeting strict guidelines, U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish processors ensure customers receive a premium product with superior flavor. Now, consumers know they are buying U.S. Farm-Raised Catfisish the seal guarantees it. There are 16 TCI-Certified Processing Plants with a combined processing capability of more than 10 million pounds of farm-raised catfish per week, every week of the year. This ensures a steady supply of catfish at an affordable price. These plants are regularly inspected by the U.S. Department of Commerce (USDC) and are certified by the USDC as a “Sanitarily Inspected Fish Establishment.” Recently, voluntary Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) guidelines have been set by the FDA which are quickly being adapted by many TCI processors (see section on HACCP). |
| 8. The consistently mild flavor and firm texture of U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish has taken this Dixieland delight to new heights. Once considered a fried, Southern fare, U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish is currently the fifth most-consumed fish in America because consumers are learning you dont have to fry it to love it. It is served year-round in restaurants across the country and is readily available in most supermarkets. |
