From the Field: A Closer Look at Catfish Harvest

We hear all the time that people don’t know where their food comes from. In our work, we often get a front-row seat for the entire scope of food production, from planting to harvest.

Our photographer, Kevin Hudson, travels the state capturing images of people involved in agriculture, natural resources, and more. He shared a few recent photos from a shoot in Noxubee County where he documented the catfish harvesting process.

man standing in a motorboat using a large fishing net to catch catfish against an orange sunrise
In the summer, catfish harvest begins early in the morning to beat the heat. Magic Turner of Brooksville uses a boat to pull the seine net through the water to bring the fish closer to shore and the next step in the harvest process.

water drips from a large net filled with catfish after its lifted from a pond
Can you guess how many pounds of catfish are in this loading basket? About 1,000 pounds! WOW! From the loading basket, the fish go into a truck filled with water that provides them with plenty of oxygen to breathe until they get to the processing plant.

Close-up of a dip net being used to catch catfish in a pond
Dip nets are used to pull fish samples for taste testing. This sensory evaluation is performed multiple times to ensure the fish are of the highest quality before they are processed.

To learn more about the catfish industry in Mississippi, visit Extension’s catfish web page.