Saving Seafood

USDA announces USD 100 million in pollock, catfish contracts

September 26, 2025 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced contracts for USD 84 million (EUR 72 million) worth of Alaska pollock products and USD 14 million (EUR 12 million) worth of catfish products.

In August, the department announced its intention to purchase USD 100 million (EUR 86 million) worth of Alaska pollock and USD 20 million (EUR 17 million) of catfish as part of the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump’s Great American Farmers Market, an event in Washington, D.C., U.S.A., held as part of National Farmers Market Week last month.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

USDA buys over USD 100 million in domestic pollock, catfish, shrimp

March 8, 2025 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded nearly USD 47.5 million (EUR 43.8 million) worth of Alaska pollock contracts to seafood processors Trident Seafoods and Channel Fish Processing.

Additionally, the agency has awarded USD 29.3 million (EUR 27 million) in domestic catfish contracts destined for federal nutrition programs and USD 24.7 million (EUR 22.8 million) to several Louisiana-based seafood processors to supply U.S. shrimp.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Nine charged in multi-state illegal catfish operation in US

September 13, 2024 — Nine individuals are facing charges concerning illegal commercial catfish activity in multiple U.S. states, including Kentucky and Alabama.

In a Facebook post, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife wrote that game warden Cody Fox and other law enforcement officials, including the division’s Special Investigations Unit, began investigating illegal commercial catfishing activity at the state’s Barren River Lake and Green Valley Pay Lake in early 2024.

Read the full article at National Fisherman

US catfish companies leaving fish in the water longer

July 25, 2023 — U.S. catfish production is down year-on-year in terms of fish numbers, but up in terms of weight, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The report, released by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, indicates the water surface acres used for catfish production and the foodsize inventory of catfish in the three major producing states – Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi – are both down. However, live-weight statistics indicate that despite having fewer fish in the water, the overall weight of the fish is up.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource