Principles of Genetics and Breeding

14.1.5.Domestication of channel catfish

Commercial aquaculture of the channel catfish (Icatlurus punctatus), the major species in U.S. fish farming, is of recent origin. Reproduction in captivity consists either of “natural” spawning in ponds followed by hatchery incubation or of induced spawning with the aid of hormonal treatments.

The origin of most domesticated strains of channel catfish is from a group of fish collected in the Red River near Dennison Dam, Lake Texoma, Oklahoma in 1949.

Dunham and Smitherman documented the origin and history of 273 strains of channel catfish, maintained at different farms, hatcheries, and research institutes, as well as 42 strains of other catfish species.

Domestication in commercial or state hatcheries, resulted from reproducing a given stock within its hatchery.

In spite of small number of generations, adaptation to the captive environment appears to have occurred. In comparative tests in ponds involving domesticated strains and progenies of wild catfish sampled from different river systems, domesticated strains tend to show faster growth.

Dunham and Smitherman concluded that, “the average increased growth performance of hatchery fish (five strains) over wild fish (six strains) is 3% per generation.”

Domesticated strains also showed a higher tolerance to channel catfish virus. The oldest domesticated strain of channel catfish (100 years), the Kansas strain, has the fastest growth rate of all the strains of channel catfish.