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USDA: Arkansas’ catfish population higher

The USDA says the water surface area for catfish production in Arkansas was unchanged on the year at 4,700 acres, most of that for food fish production and fingerlings.

Most of the state’s production is smaller food fish, weighing between three quarters and one and a half pounds, at 4.52 million fish, up 630,000 from 2018, while large and medium food fish populations were down at 210,000 and 2 million fish, respectively. The total food fish inventory is 6.73 million head, compared to 6.68 million a year ago.

The broodfish stock was not reported for Arkansas to avoid disclosing data for individual companies, but nationally, the total was up on the year at 730,000.

The stocker population was 16.24 million fish, compared to 28.1 million year ago, with the biggest decline in small stockers.

Arkansas is the third biggest catfish production state, behind Mississippi and Alabama.

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