Catfishes

Authors: Tucker, Craig; MCNEVIN, AARON - World Wildlife Fund; Torrans, Eugene; Bosworth, Brian

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/2/2016
Publication Date: 1/9/2019
Citation: Tucker, C.S., Mcnevin, A., Torrans, E.L., Bosworth, B.G. 2019. Catfishes. In: Lucas, J.S., Southgate, P.C., Tucker, C.S., editors. Aquaculture: Farming Aquatic Animals and Plants. West Sussex, UK: John Wiley & Sons Ltd, West Sussex. Book Chapter. P. 415-436.

Interpretive Summary: About 10% of all fish species are catfish and catfishes are found on every continent except Antarctica. Catfishes are mostly bottom-feeding, river-dwelling omnivores but the order includes two families with marine members. Among the more unique species, there are cave dwellers, air breathers, wood eaters, and parasitic catfish that feed on the blood of other fishes. Some of the smallest vertebrates are catfish, as well as some of the largest of fishes (the giant Mekong catfish can exceed 800 pounds). Catfishes are esteemed and popular foodfish throughout much of the world. Important commercial and subsistence fisheries exist in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North and South America. The popularity of catfishes as food stimulated rapid development of catfish aquaculture in the past quarter century. Approximately 4.4 million tons of various catfishes were produced in 2012, ranking catfishes second only to carps as the most commonly cultured fishes in the world. Species grown for food primarily come from the following five families: Pangasiidae (shark catfishes), Ictaluridae (North American freshwater catfishes), Clariidae (airbreathing catfishes), Bagridae (bagrid catfishes), and Siluridae (sheatfishes). In addition to species grown for food, dozens of freshwater catfish species are treasured aquarium fish. This chapter in the textbook “Aquaculture: Farming Aquatic Animals and Plants, third edition” focuses on catfishes that have been studied most extensively for foodfish aquaculture—the pangasiids (principally P. hypophthalmus, or tra, aquaculture in Vietnam), ictalurids (principally I. punctatus, or channel catfish, aquaculture in the USA), and clariids (principally C. gariepinus, or African sharptooth catfish, aquaculture in central Africa). Each of the three sections contains aquaculture production statistics by country, descriptions of common culture pratices, culture system management, fish health management, processing methods, marketing, and the future of the industry.

Technical Abstract: Catfishes are esteemed and popular foodfish throughout much of the world. Important commercial and subsistence fisheries exist in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North and South America. The popularity of catfishes as food stimulated rapid development of catfish aquaculture in the past quarter century. Approximately 4 million mt of various catfishes were produced in 2012, ranking catfishes second only to carps as the most commonly cultured fishes in the world. Species grown for food primarily come from the following five families: Pangasiidae (shark catfishes), Ictaluridae (North American freshwater catfishes), Clariidae (airbreathing catfishes), Bagridae (bagrid catfishes), and Siluridae (sheatfishes). In addition to species grown for food, dozens of freshwater catfish species are treasured aquarium fish. This chapter in the textbook “Aquaculture: Farming Aquatic Animals and Plants, third edition” focuses on catfishes that have been studied most extensively for foodfish aquaculture—the pangasiids (principally P. hypophthalmus, or tra, aquaculture in Vietnam), ictalurids (principally I. punctatus, or channel catfish, aquaculture in the USA), and clariids (principally C. gariepinus, or African sharptooth catfish, aquaculture in central Africa). Each of the three sections contains aquaculture production statistics by country, descriptions of common culture pratices, culture system management, fish health management, processing methods, marketing, and the future of the industry.