Catfish production, with its associated service industries, contributes more than $2 billion to Mississippi's economy each year. Its value is expected to increase as per capita consumption of fish continues to grow. Considering natural resources and climate, scientific and technical expertise, and commercial infrastructure, the Mississippi Delta is in a unique position to capitalize on the growing demand for aquaculture products. However, the rapidly growing catfish industry is experiencing significant problems that could impede further development unless solutions are found.
Realization of these problems - in combination with the knowledge of the attributes of the Mississippi Delta - provided the incentive and subsequent support for the establishment of the National Warmwater Aquaculture Center (NWAC) at DREC. The cooperative programs of the USDA Agricultural Research Service, Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, Mississippi State University Extension Service, and MSU College of Veterinary Medicine serve as the base of the U.S. catfish research and extension programs. Incorporation and expansion of these programs under NWAC provide a synergistic environment for scientists to work toward a common goal and provides a single point of coordination for all aquaculture research, extension, and diagnostic activities by providing solutions through basic and applied research, extension, and diagnostic services.
Contact: David Wise, 662-686-3239.
2016 Research
- Adoption of Alternate Catfish Production Technologies
- Development and Use of Primary Fish Cell Cultures in Fish Disease Diagnosis
- Development of an Oral Vaccination Platform to Protect Catfish Against Enteric Septicemia of Catfish
- Economics and Risk of Intensive Catfish Production Technologies
- Encapsulation of Bolbophorus damnificus Metacercariae Is Linked to Mortality in Channel Catfish
- Evaluation of Cost-effective Feeds for Hybrid Catfish Fingerlings
- Evaluation of Factors Potentially Affecting Vaccine Safety and Efficacy
- Reducing Size Variation in Hybrid Catfish Culture Through Graded Partial Harvest
- SRAC is Funding Vital Research Needs in the Region
- Summary of 2016 Case Submissions To the Aquatic Research and Diagnostic Laboratory
- Using Alternative Protein Sources to Replace Soybean Meal in Catfish Feeds
- Validation of Fermentation and Processing Procedures for the Commercial Scale Production of a Live Attenuated Edwardsiella ictaluri Vaccine for Use in Catfish Aquaculture
2015 Research
- Biomphalaria Obstructa (syn. B. havanensis) Is Host to Two Species of Trematodes Infective to Catfish
- DEET Toxicity to Channel Catfish Sac Fry
- Edwardsiella Piscicida: A New Catfish Pathogen
- Feeding Management for Market-Size Hybrid Catfish
- Molecular and Morphological Characterization of Myxozoan Actinospore Types from a Commercial Catfish Pond in the Mississippi Delta
- Nutrient Digestibility of Alternative Feed Ingredients by Channel Catfish
- Potassium Permanganate Is Not an Effective Pond Disinfectant to Control Dero Digitata
- Quantification of Pathogen Specific Antibody Response in Catfish
- Reducing Feed Cost for Hybrid Catfish Fingerling Production
- Summary of 2015 Case Submissions to the Aquatic Research & Diagnostic Laboratory
- Synergistic Effects of Flavobacterium Columnare on Mortality from Visceral Toxicosis of Catfish