Common Name	Channel Catfish	Conservation Notes
Scientific Name	Ictalurus punctatus	Sustainability Ratings/Certifications
Market Names	Catfish	Buying Tips
Sushi Name	N/A	Health/Nutrition

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CATFISH/TRA MARKET ALERT - updated Sept. 2011

Although catfish production in the Mississippi Delta has been falling since 2003, when it reached a record of 300,000 metric tons, farmers that survived this spring’s devastating floods and still have fish to sell are ecstatic. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, catfish processors handled 37% less fish than they did last June. As processors compete for what little fish is available, they have driven ex-pond prices to an incredible $1.23/lb., which is up a remarkable $.44/lb. from last June. Historically, catfish farmers have figured their cost of production runs between $.60-$.70/lb., so it’s not hard to see why some farmers are smiling and processors are crying as they scramble to find fish to run through their plants. The dramatic shortfall in farmed catfish production has driven the price of fresh 7-9 oz. fillets to an unheard of  $4.75/lb., up from the normal $3/lb. price level.  

The sharp decline in U.S, production has opened the door for more imports of tra (swai) catfish from Vietnam, where catfish production now exceeds 1 million metric tons. Through June, U.S. imports of frozen Vietnamese catfish fillets surged from 19,000 metric tons last year to 34,000 metric tons this year. Despite the huge increase, the imported price of Vietnamese catfish jumped 15% from $1.37/lb. to $1.58/lb. Wholesale prices, meanwhile, have jumped to about $2/lb.

Look for demand for Vietnamese catfish to continue to grow, as it will take at least 18 months for Delta farmers to harvest fish from their restocked ponds that were damaged by the spring floods. The high price of other white fish like grouper will also encourage more end users to try substituting lower-priced fish like Vietnamese catfish.

Conservation Notes

Life History/Inherent Vulnerability: Tra is one of two catfish species native to Southeast Asia and is the hardier of the two, enabling them to be raised in higher densities.

Inherent Operational Risks/Risk of Pollution and Habitat Impacts:
-United States: Channel catfish are raised in large clay ponds on converted agricultural land, primarily in Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, and Louisiana. These manmade freshwater ponds are self-contained and get high marks from environmental groups because they discharge little waste and have chemical use. The New England Aquarium notes that harvest from the ponds is year-round with the use of a large mesh seine so the only fish caught are market-size. Although the ponds are self-contained and produce little waste, the Blue Ocean Institute reports that regulation of catfish farm effluent disposal isn’t strong and the disposal isn’t closely monitored. Heavy rainfall can cause ponds to overflow, releasing effluent into neighboring watersheds.
-Southeast Asia: Suspended cages and ponds are used to grow tra. Since ponds tend to be further from waterways, pond culture is considered less polluting than cages and fenced areas, according to the Blue Ocean Institute. Ponds can also be a way to effectively recycle nutrients and organic matter. Tra are grown in net cages along rivers in Vietnam, Thailand, and China with little government regulation of the farming operations, according to the Environmental Defense Fund. Waste from the cages that pack Vietnam’s Mekong Delta is discharged directly into waterways, adding to the already poor water quality in the region.

Use of Marine Resources/Feed: Channel catfish are omnivores that are fed mostly grain-based vegetarian diets. Tra grow quickly with feed containing low fish meal content, usually pellets made from inexpensive locally-caught bycatch, juveniles, and trash fish. In Vietnam, the trend is toward grain-based feeds like the ones used by American farmers.

Risk to Wild Stocks: Since channel catfish are native to the U.S., escapes are not an ecological problem, according to the Environmental Defense Fund. The Blue Ocean Institute warns that with an increasing reliance on hatcheries selecting favorable traits from the native species, escapes could alter wild fish populations’ genetics.

Management Effectiveness: Channel catfish are native to the southeastern United States and by law are the only ones that can be marketed as “catfish” in the U.S. Southeast Asian governments are currently promoting fish farming using rice field ponds to alleviate environmental pressure from the dense fish farms along the Mekong River, according to the Blue Ocean Institute. Chinese fish farmers have started to grow and export channel catfish, but conservation groups haven’t assessed the farms yet for environmental impacts, according to the Seafood Choices Alliance.

Ecological Effects: Catfish farms draw predatory birds, which have been killed legally and illegally by farmers. In the United States, the National Wildlife Research Center has experimented with nonlethal methods to scare away double-crested cormorants, including robotic alligators and lasers, but nothing has resulted in a lasting solution, according to the Blue Ocean Institute. The Institute also cites evidence of increasing antibiotic resistance among tra, posing a threat to human health.

Sustainability Ratings and Certifications

	Seafood Watch	SeaChoice	FishWise	Blue Ocean Institute	New England Aquarium	Marine Stewardship Council
U.S. Farmed -contained	Good Alternative	Some Concerns	Good Alternative	Light Green	A List
U.S. Farmed -contained				Light Green

Rating Explanation

Seafood Watch's rating is only for contained aquaculture operations while Blue Ocean Institute's rating includes all farmed catfish in the U.S..

Buying Tips

• Catfish has white, mild-tasting meat and is sold both fresh and frozen, most often as steaks, skinless and boneless fillets and fillet strips, and as whole dressed fish
• Catfish tend to be processed immediately after being delivered live to a plant so freshness tends to be high
• Avoid fillets that are brown or gray in color
• Some processors have been known to abuse sodium tripolyphosphate solution, soaking catfish fillets in it to add moisture and weight, resulting in an inferior product
• Catfish from ponds containing a certain type of algae will have an off flavor, so buyers recommend making sure the processor conducts regular taste tests before harvest
• Stocks of catfish tend to be lowest during February or March, usually pushing prices higher then usual

Nutrition and Health

Acknowledgements

• Seafood Watch by Monterey Bay Aquarium
• Blue Ocean Institute
• SeaChoice
• Environmental Defense Fund
• Seafood Choices Alliance