National Catfish Month
August 1 - August 31
About National Catfish Month
National Catfish Month runs throughout August every year, celebrating the United States farm-raised catfish industry and the communities of the Mississippi Delta that built it. The observance honours a homegrown American agricultural success story, from the earthen ponds of the Deep South to the dinner plate. Whether you order it fried at a local restaurant or cook fillets in your own kitchen, August is the month to give this mild, versatile fish its due.
How to Celebrate National Catfish Month
National Catfish Month is built for the table, so the best way to mark it is to get cooking and eating. Here are eight ways to take part throughout August.
- Fry up a batch of classic Southern catfish – Coat fillets in a seasoned cornmeal and flour mixture with a little cayenne and garlic powder, then fry in oil heated to around 350°F until golden, roughly five to six minutes. It is the dish most associated with the fish for good reason.
- Buy U.S. farm-raised catfish – Look for the U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish label at the fish counter. Choosing domestic catfish supports American aquaculture families and guarantees a fish raised on a controlled grain-based diet.
- Try a recipe beyond the fryer – Catfish takes well to blackening, grilling, baking and stewing. A blackened fillet with Cajun spices or a catfish po’ boy sandwich shows off its range.
- Visit a Southern catfish restaurant – Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas and Louisiana are dotted with restaurants specialising in fried catfish, hush puppies and coleslaw. A road trip through the Delta makes a memorable August outing.
- Host a catfish fish fry – Gather friends and family for a backyard fish fry, a long-standing Southern social tradition. Pair the fish with hush puppies, fries, baked beans and plenty of lemon.
- Learn to fillet a whole catfish – If you fish or buy whole catfish, practising your filleting skills is a satisfying way to connect with where the food comes from.
- Share recipes on social media – Post your best catfish creations and tag local producers. Spreading recipes helps introduce the fish to people who have never tried it.
- Support a Delta food festival – The town of Belzoni, Mississippi, known as the Catfish Capital, has celebrated the fish with an annual festival since 1976. Seeking out regional catfish events keeps the tradition thriving.
What is National Catfish Month?
National Catfish Month is an annual observance held every August in the United States to recognise the economic and agricultural importance of the farm-raised catfish industry. It celebrates the farmers, processors and communities, concentrated in the Deep South, who raise the fish in freshwater ponds. The observance promotes U.S. farm-raised catfish as a nutritious, sustainably produced protein and encourages people to cook and order it. It sits alongside National Catfish Day, observed on 25 June, as part of the calendar honouring this distinctive American fish.
When is National Catfish Month?
National Catfish Month is observed throughout the whole of August. In 2026 it runs from Saturday, 1 August to Monday, 31 August. It is celebrated every year across the entire month rather than on a single fixed day, giving food lovers and the catfish industry a full four weeks to mark the occasion.
The History of National Catfish Month
The story of National Catfish Month begins with the rise of catfish farming in the American South. Mississippi began commercial catfish production in 1965, and after 1970 the industry expanded rapidly across the Mississippi Delta. The region’s clay-rich soils held water well, and shallow aquifers fed the earthen ponds needed to raise the fish at scale. By the mid-1980s catfish had become one of the most consumed finned fish in the country, and in the decade before its formal recognition, production had soared.
The observance itself grew out of this boom. President Ronald Reagan first drew national attention to the fish by designating a National Catfish Day, signing a proclamation that set 25 June 1987 as the date to honour the value of U.S. farm-raised catfish. The momentum did not stop there. In 1988, Congress moved to designate the month of August as National Catfish Month, recognising the economic and agricultural significance of an industry that had become a cornerstone of the rural Southern economy.
Since then the observance has been reaffirmed repeatedly. Members of Congress from catfish-producing states have continued to champion the month, with the Senate again recognising August as National Catfish Month in recent years. Today the observance remains a yearly opportunity to spotlight the farmers and processors of the Delta and to encourage Americans to choose domestically raised catfish.
Fun Facts About National Catfish Month
- Around 94 percent of all U.S. farm-raised catfish comes from just four states: Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi.
- Mississippi alone raises roughly 65 percent of the nation’s catfish, making it the clear leader in the industry.
- Approximately 85 percent of the country’s catfish acreage is located in the Mississippi Delta.
- Farm-raised catfish are fed high-protein floating pellets made from ingredients such as soybeans, corn, wheat, vitamins and minerals.
- Farm-raised catfish has long held the highest economic value of any aquaculture sector in the United States.
- Belzoni, Mississippi has called itself the Catfish Capital and has hosted an annual catfish festival since 1976.
Why National Catfish Month Matters
National Catfish Month is more than a culinary celebration. The industry supports thousands of jobs in rural communities across the Deep South, where farming, processing and related work form a major part of the local economy. Choosing U.S. farm-raised catfish during August, and all year round, helps sustain family farms and the towns built around them. The month also champions a protein raised on a controlled grain-based diet in freshwater ponds, giving shoppers an alternative to imported fish and a reason to keep this American food tradition alive. If you enjoy supporting homegrown food producers, you might also like Sustainable Gastronomy Day, which celebrates food cultures rooted in local communities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is National Catfish Month?
National Catfish Month is an annual August observance in the United States that recognises the economic and agricultural importance of the farm-raised catfish industry. It encourages people to cook, order and celebrate U.S. farm-raised catfish.
When is National Catfish Month in 2026?
National Catfish Month runs throughout August 2026, from Saturday, 1 August to Monday, 31 August. It is observed across the whole month every year.
How is National Catfish Month different from National Catfish Day?
National Catfish Day is a single observance held on 25 June, established by a presidential proclamation in 1987. National Catfish Month, designated by Congress in 1988, covers the entire month of August. Both honour the same industry, with the month giving a longer window to celebrate.
Spread the Word
Join the celebration and share your best catfish dishes on social media with #NationalCatfishMonth and #NationalCatfishMonth2026. Tag your favourite Southern restaurants and U.S. catfish producers, and challenge your friends to cook a fillet of their own this August. The more people who discover farm-raised catfish, the stronger the support for the farmers behind it. For another food celebration to add to your calendar, take a look at Lasagna Awareness Month.
Related Awareness Days
- National Oyster Day – A 5 August celebration of another beloved American seafood with deep regional roots.
- National Fried Clam Day – Marks another fried seafood favourite, perfect for fans of a classic fish fry.
- Sustainable Gastronomy Day – Celebrates food cultures and the value of local, responsibly produced ingredients.
Links
- Read more about U.S. farm-raised catfish and the August observance
- Explore more awareness days at AwarenessDays.com
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