Texas aquaculture remains strong, with significant growth occurring over the last five years, said a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert.
Todd Sink, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension aquaculture specialist and director of the AgriLife Extension Aquatic Diagnostics Laboratory, Bryan-College Station, said his assessment of Texas aquaculture contrasts with the findings of the 2023 U.S. Department of Agriculture Census of Aquaculture. The report showed a decline in the number of aquaculture farms and sales in Texas. But producer numbers have increased.
Sink attributed the inaccurate data to low numbers of Texas producers filling out voluntary U.S. Census of Aquaculture surveys.
New opportunity along the Gulf Coast
Sink, who is also an associate professor in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management, said there are currently 130-135 aquaculture producers across the state with roughly 6,200 acres in production. Annual farm-gate sales generate more than $120 million.
More than 20 of those producers are new oyster farms along the coast. That increase in production was made possible by legislation passed in 2019.
“Prior to 2019, oyster mariculture was not allowed in Texas,” Sink said. “Now, the number of oyster farms is growing so fast, the state’s two oyster hatcheries are struggling to keep up with the demand for seed stock.”
More to the industry than catfish
Although many only think of catfish when considering Texas aquaculture, Sink said the industry is much more varied, supporting bait, ornamental and food fish species like pinfish, fathead minnow, koi, tilapia, shrimp, red drum and hybrid striped bass.
Red drum and hybrid striped bass alone generate around $20 million of the state’s annual farm-gate sales, he said.
“There are only around 12 red drum and hybrid striped bass producers in the state, and they’re producing as much as the catfish industry in terms of value and quantity,” Sink said. “Those fish are considered a higher-value product.”
The current farm-gate price for red drum is between $5.50 per pound and $5.70 per pound, compared to the average price of catfish, which has ranged between 80 cents per pound to $1.20 per pound over the last two decades.
Sink said red drum and hybrid striped bass are uniquely Texan aquaculture products, and the state leads the nation in production of both.
“If I go to a restaurant or supermarket anywhere in the U.S. and order red drum, there’s an extremely high chance that I’m going to be eating a farm-raised Texas product,” he said.
Market status and current trends
As Texas producers establish stronger holds in aquaculture markets, Sink said recent tariffs on imported seafood products have helped.
“Many producers are now getting orders from companies that previously dealt exclusively with China, Vietnam or Mauritius,” he said. “Competition from foreign seafood imports has been an ongoing issue in the industry.”
Sink said overall, the number of farms and sales for sportfish and food fish has remained relatively stable, with a few notable exceptions, including tilapia, which has expanded significantly in both the number of farms and sales.
“We’re also seeing food fish producers who previously specialized in a single species, such as catfish, hybrid striped bass or red drum, diversifying the species they grow to better protect themselves from any production failures such as disease, freeze events or market collapses,” he said.
Another industry trend Sink noted is producers joining together to form larger cooperative farms.
“It may only be two producers, or it may include eight, but they are partnering,” he said. “That offers buying power, better market access and supply, and species diversification.”
Panhandle
Widespread thunderstorms across the district brought additional precipitation during the week. Rains added to moisture soil profiles throughout the district, but overall, soil moisture levels were still short to adequate. Daytime high temperatures were in the upper 80s and low 90s, which helped moderate evapotranspiration rates. Most warm-season crops were transitioning from vegetative to reproductive growth and demanding more water. Overall, crops were in fair to good condition. Spraying and tillage of fallow and harvested wheat ground continued. Pasture and rangeland conditions were fair to good. Cattle gains were excellent.
