A Precocious Population of Channel Catfish with Potential as a Research Model
A population of catfish presumptively identified as channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) found in Lake Maurepas in southeast Louisiana matures at a small size and early age (<170 mm TL and <2 years) compared to other populations in southern Louisiana (>500 mm TL and 3 to 4 years). In addition, these catfish have a protracted spawning period. The peak spawning time coincides with cultured channel catfish, but a percentage of the population spawns throughout the summer months. These fish are harvested at a small size and support an important but contentious commercial fishery. The...
