August - National Catfish Month

Congress declared August National Catfish Month in the late 80s to recognize the contributions that the United States catfish industry made to the economy.  
Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi produce the majority of the nations catfish.

DID YOU KNOW...
Mississippi is the leading producer of farm raised catfish in the U.S., accounting
for 45-55 percent of ALL farm-raised catfish in the U.S.

DID YOU KNOW...
Mississippi State University was the first institution to conduct research
on the nutritional requirements of catfish.
University researchers determined the correct protein, carbohydrate, energy, vitamin, and amino acid requirements for catfish and developed a
well-balanced feed formula for catfish.
* Mississippi is the largest producer of farm-raised catfish in the country
Mississippi State University Starkville , MS

 

CATFISH FUN FACTS

-It is illegal to lasso a fish in Tennessee.

-The walking catfish moves across land from one body of water to another.
It uses its pectoral fins like legs and has a modified gill chamber to get oxygen from the air.

-Texans eat more catfish than any other state in America.

-The catfish is the official fish of Missouri.

-Catfish don’t have scales.

-The electric catfish, native to Africa, is capable of generating up to 350 volts.

-The glass catfish is mostly transparent and often seen in home aquariums.

-The “whiskers” that make catfish look like cats are really barbels (bar-bulls), which are
covered with taste buds that allow the fish to find food in the murkiest of water.

-Belzoni, Miss., is known as the catfish capital of the world.
They have an annual festival and a catfish eating contest.