Catfish are processed by removing the head and spines,
skinning and eviscerating the fish, washing, and
thoroughly packing them on ice. Properly dressed fish
packed in ice can be held for up to 6 days if they are to
be marketed fresh. Fish to be frozen should be wrapped
in plastic bags or airtight containers and immediately
frozen (frozen fish should not be held for more than a
few months). Before marketing your product, prepare
and taste a representative sample of the fish crop. If any
off-flavor is detected, the fish should not be sold for


public consumption.
 Most large-scale producers ship their crops to fish pro-
cessing factories, or have the necessary equipment and
labor to process themselves. There are few commercial
processing facilities in Florida, so producers in the state
should be prepared to process their own crop or possibly
transport them relatively long distances to processing
plants in other southeastern states. Alternatively, depend-
ing on local markets, fish might be sold live at roadside
stands or through fish-out ponds.


Portions of this publication are adapted from Producing Channel Catfish Fingerlings, J. Jensen et al., (Ala. Coop.
Ext. Ser., Circular ANR-327) and Channel Catfish Production in Ponds, J. Jensen, (Ala. Coop. Ext. Ser., Circular
ANR-195). The authors also thank John Jensen for providing photographs used in this publication.


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