Thursday, March 24, 2011

Catfish farms going out of business

More and more catfish farms are drying up each year in Arkansas; the birthplace of catfish farming. According to the Director of the Department of Aquaculture, Tim McNulty said in 2004 there were 40,000 acres of catfish farms.  In 2010, it's down to 13,000. Catfish farmers are attributing the loss to high fish feed prices and competition overseas.

Lonoke County catfish farmer, Larry Raper has been in the industry for nearly 50 years. "They got cheaper labour and everything over there is cheaper. So, we can't compete with it," said Raper.  He said, "I enjoy just watching them eat and grow." When he retires he plans to pass his farm down to his son, Brian who said catfish farming may finish with his father.

"It's getting to be a big risk, there's so much money involved with it and I've been getting into sport fish a little bit," said Brian. Read more ...

This blog is written by Martin Little The Aquaculturists, published and supported by the International Aquafeed Magazine from Perendale Publishers.
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