How to Read the USDA Catfish Production Report — Inventories by Size, Live Weight and Water Acres
USDA NASS Catfish Production (July 15, 2026), three major states: July 1 foodsize fish 93.4 million (down slightly), stockers 153 million (-16%), fingerlings and fry 227 million (-7%); acres -3%.
Key figures (Catfish Production, July 2026)
As of 3 November 2026, 00:45 KST; most recently published report: Catfish Production from the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), with July 1, 2026 inventories by size and water surface acres for July-December 2026 in Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi. The publication listing confirms the July 15, 2026 release; the NASS release-day page lists February 9 and July 15, 2026 for this report; the sources used give no time of day, and the publication page showed no next date when checked at 00:45 KST. Primary source: https://esmis.nal.usda.gov/sites/default/release-files/795980/cfpd0726.txt[1][2][3]
| Indicator (Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi combined) | Previous (2025) | Current (2026) | Change vs previous | Change vs year ago: same as previous (same July 1 or July-December period) | Evidence type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water surface acres for production, July-December (acres) | 42,300 | 41,100 | down 3% (published); -2.8% (calculated) | same comparison | levels and published changes: USDA NASS primary statistical record; calculated %: this page's calculation |
| Acres intended for foodsize fish (acres) | 34,100 | 32,100 | down 6% (published); -5.9% (calculated) | same comparison | levels and published changes: USDA NASS primary statistical record; calculated %: this page's calculation |
| Foodsize fish on hand July 1 (1,000 fish) | 93,500 | 93,420 | down slightly (published); -0.1% (calculated) | same comparison | levels and published changes: USDA NASS primary statistical record; calculated %: this page's calculation |
| Foodsize fish live weight July 1 (1,000 pounds) | 118,200 | 119,650 | +1.2% (calculated) | same comparison | levels: USDA NASS primary statistical record; calculated %: this page's calculation |
| Stockers on hand July 1 (1,000 fish) | 182,640 | 153,300 | down 16% (published); -16.1% (calculated) | same comparison | levels and published changes: USDA NASS primary statistical record; calculated %: this page's calculation |
| Small stockers on hand July 1 (1,000 fish) | 97,840 | 66,800 | down 32% (published); -31.7% (calculated) | same comparison | levels and published changes: USDA NASS primary statistical record; calculated %: this page's calculation |
| Fingerlings and fry on hand July 1 (1,000 fish) | 242,930 | 227,100 | down 7% (published); -6.5% (calculated) | same comparison | levels and published changes: USDA NASS primary statistical record; calculated %: this page's calculation |
| Broodfish on hand July 1 (1,000 fish) | 775 | 770 | down 1% (published); -0.6% (calculated) | same comparison | levels and published changes: USDA NASS primary statistical record; calculated %: this page's calculation |
Comparison basis: levels are as published for the three-state total, in acres, thousands of fish or thousands of pounds; the text rounds them (93,420 thousand becomes 93.4 million). Published changes are whole percentages or "slightly"; this page's calculated changes for the selected rows are rounded half up to one decimal from the table levels. The previous and year-ago columns are the same comparison because each figure is compared with the same date or period of 2025. The report, publication page and release-day page are all from USDA and count as one source.[1]
In three lines
1. The NASS Catfish Production report counts catfish on hand on July 1 by size (fry and fingerlings, stockers, foodsize, broodfish) and the water acres planned for the second half of the year in the three major producing states.
2. On July 1, 2026, foodsize fish were 93.4 million (down slightly), while stockers fell 16% to 153 million and fingerlings and fry 7% to 227 million.
3. Water surface acres for July-December 2026 totaled 41,100, down 3%.[1]
What the report says (in NASS's words)
"The water surface area to be used for catfish production in the three major producing States (Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi) during July 1 through December 31, 2026, totaled 41,100 acres, down 3 percent from a year ago." "Of the total acres in production, 805 acres were scheduled to be renovated from July 1 to December 31, 2026 compared with 705 acres taken out of production during the period of January 1 through June 30, 2026."[1]
"Catfish operations in the three major producing States had 93.4 million Foodsize fish on hand on July 1, 2026, down slightly from July 1, 2025." "Catfish operations in the three major producing States had 153 million Stockers on hand on July 1, 2026, down 16 percent from the July 1, 2025 total of 183 million Stockers." "Producers had 227 million Fingerlings and fry on hand on July 1, 2026, down 7 percent from July 1, 2025."[1]
Size definitions. "Fingerlings: Fish weighing 2 to 60 pounds per 1,000 fish or 2 to 6 inches in length." "Stockers (large): Fish weighing over 180 pounds to 750 pounds per 1,000 fish." "Foodsize (large): Fish weighing over 3 pounds."[1]
Reading in pairs
Fish counts vs live weight. Foodsize fish fell 0.1% in number but rose 1.2% in live weight, to 119,650 thousand pounds (this page's calculations), so the two measures can move differently. Large foodsize fish fell 12.7% in number (2,510 to 2,190 thousand) while medium foodsize rose 2.3%.[1]
Per fish vs per 1,000 fish. Average weights for foodsize fish and broodfish are printed in pounds per fish, but for stockers and fingerlings in pounds per 1,000 fish; for example, large stockers averaged 430 pounds per 1,000 fish in 2026. The units must be read from each table heading before comparing averages.[1]
Three-state totals vs state detail. Stocker, fingerling and broodfish rows are withheld (D) for Alabama and Arkansas to avoid disclosing individual operations, so only Mississippi and the three-state totals are shown for those categories. The report covers the three major producing states, not the whole United States.[1]
Acres by use vs total acres. Acres intended for foodsize, fingerlings and broodfish add to 40,410 in 2026 (this page's calculation) against the 41,100 total in the state table, and separate columns show 805 acres under or scheduled for renovation and 310 for new construction. In this report, no reconciliation of the use columns with the total is provided.[1]
Census vs error. "In the three published States, catfish production estimates are based on a census of all known active producers and therefore, have no sampling variability." NASS adds that errors such as omissions, duplication and reporting mistakes remain and cannot be measured directly. "Estimates for the previous year are subject to revision when current estimates are made." In this report, no numeric error measure is provided.[1]
Verified facts
Each fact is labelled with its evidence typeEach fact in this section carries its evidence type — either cross-checked against independent sources, or confirmed from a single authoritative record.
Catfish operations in Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi had 93.4 million foodsize fish on hand on July 1, 2026, down slightly from a year earlier.[1] 1 source · authoritative record
Catfish stockers on hand on July 1, 2026 totaled 153 million in the three major producing states, down 16 percent from 183 million a year earlier.[1] 1 source · authoritative record
Water surface acres for catfish production in July-December 2026 totaled 41,100 in the three major producing states, down 3 percent from a year earlier.[1] 1 source · authoritative record
Catfish producers in the three major states had 227 million fingerlings and fry on hand on July 1, 2026, down 7 percent from a year earlier.[1] 1 source · authoritative record
Statements and readings
Not counted as facts — each item shows what kind of statement it isFrom here on: statements not counted as facts — single-source reports, the issuing body’s own statements, and this page’s own readings, each labeled.
Foodsize catfish live weight on July 1, 2026 was 1.2% higher than a year earlier while the number of foodsize fish was 0.1% lower.[1] This page’s own calculation or reading · This page's calculation from the NASS Catfish Production report
Small stockers on hand on July 1, 2026 were 31.7% fewer than a year earlier (66,800 versus 97,840 thousand).[1] This page’s own calculation or reading · This page's calculation from the NASS Catfish Production report
Timeline
What this page could not establish
These are questions this page tried to answer and could not. The gaps are left open rather than filled with a guess.- Why did small stockers fall 32% from a year earlier?
- How do the acres by use relate to the total acres?
- Model
- claude-opus-5
- Time
- 11/03/2026, 00:45
- Body characters
- 6,528
- Sources
- 3 sources adopted
- Model
- ChatGPT (checked sources on the web)
- Time
- 11/03/2026, 00:51
- Verdict
- Revision required
Show revision history (3)
| 11/03/2026, 09:00 | First authored (claude-opus-5) | Created |
| 11/03/2026 | First version. Read in full the USDA NASS Catfish Production report of July 2026, including the acreage tables, the inventory tables by size category, terms and definitions and methodology, plus the publication page and the NASS Reports by Release Day page; quotations are complete sentences matched against the source text. | Updated |
| 11/03/2026 | Revised after review: the stocker FAQ now asks which size group accounted for the decline and keeps a separate statement that the report does not explain why inventories changed; the acreage FAQ says the acres are to be used during July-December 2026. | Updated |
Frequently asked
How many foodsize catfish were on hand on July 1, 2026?
93.4 million (93,420 thousand) in Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi, down slightly from 93,500 thousand a year earlier, according to the NASS Catfish Production report of July 15, 2026.[1]
Which size group accounted for the decline in stocker inventory?
Small stockers: they fell 32% (97,840 to 66,800 thousand) while large stockers rose 2%, within a 16% drop in all stockers on July 1, 2026. The report does not explain why inventories changed.[1]
What is the difference between fingerlings, stockers and foodsize catfish?
By weight: fingerlings weigh 2 to 60 pounds per 1,000 fish, large stockers over 180 to 750 pounds per 1,000 fish, and large foodsize fish over 3 pounds each.[1]
How many acres are used for catfish production?
41,100 water surface acres to be used during July–December 2026 in the three major states, down 3%; Mississippi had 27,900.[1]
Does the catfish report have sampling error?
No sampling variability, because the 2026 estimates are based on a census of all known active producers in the three states; non-sampling errors remain and are not measured.[1]
Does the catfish report cover the whole United States?
No: the July 2026 report covers the 3 major producing states of Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi.[1]