Why is farm-raised catfish environmentally friendly?

Catfish raised in the USA are fed a food that requires very little fish protein and thus low amounts of wild fish are needed to grow catfish. This food is made so it floats on the water which helps the farmer see when the catfish are full so they do not waste food.

Catfish are grown in ponds, so there is very little risk of fish escaping and competing for food with other species. Many farms also clean the used water with a bio-filter and recycle it through the farms. Waste can also be controlled and managed by using ponds to settle out waste before the water leaves the farm. The industry is regularly monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency to not only watch over waste water discharges, but also to work with the farms to reduce bird predation.

U.S. catfish farmers use Best Management Practices (BMP) which help farms strive for minimal environmental impact. Land use for farm ponds has been steadily decreasing as production efficiency increases and currently, catfish farms use only a small percentage of land. In fact, catfish farmed in the US is considered one of the most sustainable seafood choices!