Mississippi State research leads to nearly 60 percent increase in catfish production over last 10 years

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Mississippi State revealed a research Tuesday exhibiting that their analysis has performed a serious function in rising space catfish farming productiveness over the past 10 years.

Nationwide, the catfish trade has contracted practically 70 p.c since 2003, however it stays a serious financial driver in Mississippi.

In line with Ganesh Kumar, analysis professor for Mississippi State’s Division of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, the catfish trade contributed $1.9 million to the Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi economies in 2019.

“(The state is) a serious processor, main grower and main producer of (catfish farming) tools,” says Dr. Jimmy Avery, MSU extension aquaculture specialist and director of the Southern Regional Aquaculture Middle.

In line with the varsity, analysis efforts at MSU, together with a number of different faculties (Virginia Tech, Auburn College, College of Arkansas at Pine Bluff), have led to a 59 p.c improve in catfish manufacturing in Mississippi, Alabama and Arkansas.

“(We) take a look at the financial affect of catfish within the area and likewise take a look at how these new applied sciences are being adopted,” Dr. Avery says.

Dr. Avery says their advances in catfish farming fall into three foremost classes: improved manufacturing techniques, an improved pressure of catfish and higher fish well being.

He says that Dr. Craig Tucker developed the break up pond throughout his time at MSU.

“All of the fish are extra confined on this space so it made it simpler to feed them, it made it simpler for us to offer oxygen for them at night time and it additionally made it simpler for us to reap them,” Dr. Avery says. “As a result of we didn’t have to reap the entire pond.”

Scientists at Auburn first created the pressure of hybrid catfish, which is a cross between a blue catfish and channel catfish.

“What (MSU) scientists have been in a position to do was develop that right into a commercially viable enterprise and exit and work with farmers to say, ‘Hey, look, that is the way you make this hybrid,’” Dr. Avery says.

MSU was additionally behind a vaccine and supply methodology for catfish.

“We’ve acquired a brand new vaccine on the market for enteric septicemia of catfish,” Dr. Avery says. “It additionally provides safety from a few different illnesses, bacterial illnesses, as effectively.”

Dr. Avery says the affect of this analysis is bettering the lives of catfish farmers nationwide.

“Adopting these new applied sciences…(utilizing) fewer acres, we’re in a position to produce roughly the identical quantity of fish we’ve annually, over the past 10 years.”

Dr. Avery says that their relationship with space catfish farmers is ongoing and members of his staff continuously return to farmers any time they discover a higher option to develop and keep their fish.