RECENT ADVANCES MADE ON CATFISH

The catfish industry includes both
large and small family farms, and is critical for the economic viability of many communities in Alabama and
the South. Large-scale commercial
adoption of the hybrid between female channel catfish and male
blue catfish could make catfish
farming more competitive and
sustainable. But hybrid fingerlings are not widely available for stocking into ponds, so at present, this industry is almost entirely based on the culture of channel catfish. Use of hybrids is growing,but greater adoption is needed to keep Alabama catfish farming
competitive domestically and with foreign imports. Objectives Develop technology to improve
egg production and hatching rate
of fertilized eggs to allow
widespread commercial production of the channel catfish X blue catfish hybrid, and to further improve the genetics and performance of farmed catfish. Research Fisheries and Allied Aquaculture researchers are developing genetic lines of channel catfish and blue
catfish that more readily mate
(hybridize) with each other.
Scientists are evaluating hormone treatments that induce females to release eggs to maximize production of hybrid eggs and the hatching rate of fertilized eggs, and they are developing technology to
more efficiently utilize the sperm from donor males to fertilize the
eggs. To ensure the best quality of
eggs and sperm, research is also
being conducted on brood stock
nutrition to optimize maturation
diets for the development of eggs and fry production. This work is
being coupled with research on
transgenic sterilization for the
future development of more
disease resistant hybrids with
improved flesh quality. Anticipated Impacts In 2005 Alabama catfish producers
earned over 98 million dollars.
When hybrid egg-fingerling
production is commercially
feasible, the catfish hybrid will
replace channel catfish as the major aquaculture fish for the
United States, and Alabama’s
catfish industry will become more
profitable. This hybrid will have
revolutionary impacts on the
entire catfish industry, increasing yearly harvest and profitability for
catfish farmers. FOR YOUR HIGHBRID FINGERLINGS OF CATFISH. CALL MR KINGSLEY ON +2348032861326.

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