Catfish Controversy, What's on the Plate?

If you are planning to dine on a catfish dinner, don't place your order until you determine where the catfish came from. The states of Mississippi and Alabama are the largest catfish producers in the nation. Alabama produces more than $500 million per year ranking second in the nation in catfish sales, producing over 100 million pounds each year.

Statistics show that nearly 80% of the seafood and fish products consumed in the United States is imported, and foreign catfish accounts for nearly half of restaurant sales nationwide. The competition between foreign and domestic catfish sales, along with allegations of inferiority in some fish products, led Alabama to pass the Catfish Labeling Law in 2008. A similar federal labeling law for grocery stores has been on the books as part of farming legislation since 2002. The law requires restaurant owners to post the origin of catfish products in a place visible to customers. Compliance with the law is handled through the state Department of Public Health.

Many of the restaurant owners are still not in compliance and are selling foreign catfish instead saying they can buy foreign catfish for as much as $30 a box cheaper than American Catfish. U.S. farm raised catfish meets high standards of quality, environmental safety and food safety.

Most of the imported catfish is coming from Vietnam and China. Recent reports have suggested that imported catfish may not be processed and handled in a sanitary way before arriving on U.S. shores. Between 40% and 50% of imported fish that was tested showed the presence of chemicals and might have been toxic to humans. Alabama Commissioner, Ron Sparks then banned the sale of farm-raised catfish from China because of the alleged use of unapproved drugs.

According to Texas State Senator Glen Hegar, who is a proponent of stricter regulations on the imported products, last year some 47 shipments of imported catfish or other similar products were refused by the FDA for alleged contamination or fraudulent labeling. (This article written by the editor, Dee Ann Campbell, of our local newspaper).

I would like to add that I have seen some of the imported catfish and it looks nasty and was not in filets but in steak form. That means they are selling the bones and from what I saw, there was more bone than meat on those steaks. They do sell it in small filets in some stores. I talked to a lady who bought some imported catfish and she said it tasted so bad they couldn't eat it. From pictures I've seen of Vietnam where the people use the same water for drinking, bathing, laundry, and toilets, I understand why the fish is contaminated. I buy catfish that is produced in Mississippi or in Louisiana and it tastes clean and fresh. As much fish and seafood we have in this country, I don't understand why any fish has to be imported into the United States.

The only catfish I eat are the ones I caught and cleaned myself. Most of them are from the Ohio river. Yes, I'm aware of the advisory as to consumption and usually have only 3 to 4 meals a year.

[QUOTE=bassin_bug;496501]As much fish and seafood we have in this country, I don't understand why any fish has to be imported into the United States.[/QUOTE]

Because the Gubment taxes American companies more than any other companies in the world get taxed. Therefore, American catfish costs more than imported catfish. As American small business owners try to survive...lord knows they are getting taxed too...they do what they have to in order to make more profit where they can to keep their lights on and their employees paid. That means buying sub-par catfish from their seafood suppliers that source it from China at lower cost, so that they can sell it for higher margins than they can collect when they buy and sell American raised catfish.

It's about the dollar.

In this case, when it's proven to be hazardous to public health, I think your state is doing the right thing by putting the kibosh on it.

If it wasn't a health hazard, I'd say it's no different than 1000 other products that are in that exact same situation these days.

[QUOTE=bassin_bug;496501]If you are planning to dine on a catfish dinner, don't place your order until you determine where the catfish came from. The states of Mississippi and Alabama are the largest catfish producers in the nation. Alabama produces more than $500 million per year ranking second in the nation in catfish sales, producing over 100 million pounds each year.

Statistics show that nearly 80% of the seafood and fish products consumed in the United States is imported, and foreign catfish accounts for nearly half of restaurant sales nationwide. The competition between foreign and domestic catfish sales, along with allegations of inferiority in some fish products, led Alabama to pass the Catfish Labeling Law in 2008. A similar federal labeling law for grocery stores has been on the books as part of farming legislation since 2002. The law requires restaurant owners to post the origin of catfish products in a place visible to customers. Compliance with the law is handled through the state Department of Public Health.

Many of the restaurant owners are still not in compliance and are selling foreign catfish instead saying they can buy foreign catfish for as much as $30 a box cheaper than American Catfish. U.S. farm raised catfish meets high standards of quality, environmental safety and food safety.

Most of the imported catfish is coming from Vietnam and China. Recent reports have suggested that imported catfish may not be processed and handled in a sanitary way before arriving on U.S. shores. Between 40% and 50% of imported fish that was tested showed the presence of chemicals and might have been toxic to humans. Alabama Commissioner, Ron Sparks then banned the sale of farm-raised catfish from China because of the alleged use of unapproved drugs.

According to Texas State Senator Glen Hegar, who is a proponent of stricter regulations on the imported products, last year some 47 shipments of imported catfish or other similar products were refused by the FDA for alleged contamination or fraudulent labeling. (This article written by the editor, Dee Ann Campbell, of our local newspaper).

I would like to add that I have seen some of the imported catfish and it looks nasty and was not in filets but in steak form. That means they are selling the bones and from what I saw, there was more bone than meat on those steaks. They do sell it in small filets in some stores. I talked to a lady who bought some imported catfish and she said it tasted so bad they couldn't eat it. From pictures I've seen of Vietnam where the people use the same water for drinking, bathing, laundry, and toilets, I understand why the fish is contaminated. I buy catfish that is produced in Mississippi or in Louisiana and it tastes clean and fresh. As much fish and seafood we have in this country, I don't understand why any fish has to be imported into the United States.[/QUOTE]

From VietNam, most catfish is imported as SWAI..........it is GOOD. Mild tasting, and the "lady" who said it couldn't be eaten must have been smoking crak, because the stuff I regularly cook is pretty dang good......AND about 1/2 the price of good ole farm raised catfish from here.

[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iridescent_shark[/url]

And this is not new stuff. A few years ago, there was a big issue up north with fresh walleye. Instead of walleye, some restaurants were using zander imported from Russia instead. The zander was significantly less in price than local walleye, and is pretty much the same fish.

[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zander[/url]

Later,

Geo