This article first appeared on the Magnolia Tribune.
- Mississippi is the number one producer of farm-raised catfish in the United States. Over 200 catfish farms make up nearly 33,000 acres.
August is National Catfish Month. The whole country goes crazy for catfish, with filets, whole, po’boys, and more hitting menus. While the nation celebrates National Catfish Month in August for a brief 31 days, the catfish industry in Mississippi is a non-stop business.
The catfish industry in Mississippi
Farm-raising catfish as an industry took off in the mid-1960s. Crops are often cycled out to get the most out of the land, and at the time, catfish farming was a new concept. Before farm-raised catfish, if you wanted a fish fry, it was up to you to go catch it, or you’d have to buy it from someone else who caught it. Supply could never really keep up with demand that way, so people started to prefer the consistency and quality of farm-raised catfish. Catfish expert Mike McCall wrote about it in his book, Catfish Days.
By the 1990s, catfish farming had exploded across the South in general. Fast-forward to today, Mississippi is the number one producer of farm-raised catfish in the United States. Over 200 catfish farms make up nearly 33,000 acres. Just a single acre of a catfish farm can bring in 5,000 pounds of catfish– that’s 165 million pounds! Mississippi catfish farming was a 252-million-dollar industry in 2023.
Like farming for any other crop, catfish farming in Mississippi has waxed and waned in productivity in the last decade. But the industry has grown steadily—in 2010, catfish ponds throughout the state were only producing 4,000 pounds of catfish per acre. In 2020, Mississippi farm-raised catfish accounted for only 54% of the nation’s farmed catfish, compared to 65% today.
“Mississippi leads the nation in farm-raised catfish, and we are celebrating National Catfish Month this month. We have the best catfish farmers in the world, many of whom come from multi-generational family farms that have raised catfish for years,” said Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson. “
“The Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce is proud to recognize the significant contributions of the catfish industry to the state and our local communities,” Gipson added. “When you eat U.S. Farm-Raised catfish, you are likely enjoying catfish raised here in the Magnolia State. I encourage everyone to look for the U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish label in the grocery stores and on restaurant menus and support our hard-working and dedicated catfish farmers.”
Mississippi Farm-Raised Catfish: What’s the big deal?
Catfish farms wouldn’t be needed if catfish weren’t such a popular food source. So what’s the big deal with catfish, anyhow? Aside from the golden brown fried deliciousness of a big plate of catfish, here are a few things to note about the whiskered fish:
- Like many fish, catfish are high in protein and low in fat, making for a healthy protein option (unless you deep fry it, then you’re adding some calories and fat)
- Catfish contain Omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for the heart.
- Selenium, potassium, and vitamins B6 and B12 are all found in catfish, which provide nutrients that help the immune system and regulate cholesterol and blood pressure.
- Catfish is more affordable than seafood and other freshwater fish.
But don’t you have to fry catfish?
While fried catfish is a Mississippi delicacy, no golden rule (officially) says you must fry catfish to eat it. Catfish can be served grilled, baked, or fried. It is a popular misconception that frying catfish gets rid of the “muddy” taste.
Catfish are bottom-feeders in freshwater, so while it is possible for catfish to have a muddy taste, you find that less with farm-raised catfish. Farm-raised catfish are fed; they don’t have to scavenge for their own food—therefore, they’re coming to the top of the water to eat and not ingesting as much of the muck that lies along the bottom of the pond. With Mississippi farm-raised catfish, you’re getting deliciousness whether you fry, bake, or grill it.
Get your hands on some Mississippi farm-raised catfish.
Heading to one of Mississippi’s fantastic catfish restaurants, such as Shivers Fish House, will provide a truly Southern experience and some of the best fish you could ever eat. But if you want to eat more catfish at home, a couple of recipes are good to try at home.
Grilled Catfish
Here’s a great Grilled Catfish with Pickled Cauliflower Salad recipe from Simmon’s Catfish, a Mississippi farm-raised catfish provider.
This recipe notes that the fish prep is super easy. All you do is brush the catfish filets with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic. Then throw them on the grill and cook for 3 minutes on each side and bam— dinner time.
Baked Catfish
Here’s another great catfish recipe. This one is from The Crown Restaurant in Indianola, Mississippi. It’s called Catfish Allison, and the filets have a great parmesan butter sauce on top. Again, prep is simple, and you’re not spending too much time here… You just let it bake for 25-30 minutes or until the fish is golden and flakes easily with a fork. Then, spend the last 5 minutes or so broiling the fish for that great golden color.
The Classic: Fried Mississippi Farm-Raised Catfish
Delta Pride Catfish’s spin on the classic fried catfish includes a pecan-crusted air-fried catfish filet, in case you want the crunch without the extra oil. The only oil you’ll find is the bit you spray on the air fryer basket to keep the fish from sticking. Just 9-12 minutes in the air fryer at 375, and you’ll have a crispy, healthy catfish that will make you feel less guilty about returning for seconds.
This article first appeared on the Magnolia Tribune and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
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