Aquaculture for all

Catfish Production Up 26 Per Cent

Economics Education & academia +2 more

MEXICO - Sustainable development of fisheries in Mexico has allowed, during the last five years, growth of 26 per cent in the production of catfish farming, rising 2,503 tons in 2006 to 3,384 in 2010, reports a study by the National Commission of Aquaculture and Fisheries (CONAPESCA).

The federal agency requires that catfish is an alternative to human food supplements as scientific studies report that the consumption of 250 grams of meat from this species provides 85 per cent of the proteins required for children and 65 per cent in adolescents.

It is economic, easy to cook and rich in Omega 3 oil, plus it is available every day of the year in the markets, supply centers and convenience stores.

The document of the study, which was prepared on the basis of the figures recorded from the 20 states producing catfish, states that in 2010 Sinaloa was the top of catfish farming to participate with 25 per cent of national production (860 tonnes), followed by Tamaulipas, 21 per cent (707 tons), Durango, with 13 per cent (426 tons), Michoacn, nine per cent (304 tons), and Sonora, with six per cent (201 tons).

Among the producing states, Jalisco also contributed six per cent (193 tons), San Luis Potosi with another six per cent (190 tons); Chihuahua to three per cent (113 tons) and a group of 12 states-Coahuila , Guerrero, Hidalgo, Nuevo Leon, Zacatecas, Morelos, Aguascalientes, Colima, Guanajuato, Chiapas, Quertaro and Mexico recorded 11 per cent by adding 390,000 kilograms.

In 1972 began the first studies on catfish farming in Mexico. A year later, the first cultivation of this species was made in Sinaloa. In 1976 the dam was introduced in "The Mouthpiece" in Chihuahua, and later generalised to virtually all of Mexico.

Fishing in Mexico has great potential, so the bet of the current administration has been to perform management actions and sustainable growth of the sector in order to remain competitive in domestic and international markets.

Domestic production of catfish

The country reported catfish production in 2010 was five thousand 466 tons (three thousand 384 for aquaculture production and two thousand capture 82), representing an increase of 5.11 per cent over 2009, which was five 186 thousand tons (three thousand 145 for aquaculture and two thousand and 41 per fish).

The value of the channel catfish production last year was 107 million 781 thousand pesos, which represented an increase of more than 32 million pesos compared to 2009, a positive variation of 30 percent.

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