Despite Potential, Midwestern Farms Struggle to Market Fish

Despite Potential, Midwestern Farms Struggle to Market Fish

By CASEY SMITH

Source: Associated Press

7/3/2022

Credit: AP Photo/Michael Conroy

Although fish and seafood consumption is on the rise in the U.S., the number of Midwest aquaculture farms is declining, and many fish producers say they face challenges getting their produce to consumers.

When drastic increases in food costs spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic left Andrew Caplinger struggling to find fresh catfish for his restaurants, he decided to try “an experimental” solution — growing his own.

In the coming months, the Indianapolis restaurant chain Caplinger’s Fresh Catch Seafood will begin sourcing its second most popular menu item from fish ponds at his 28-acre farm in southern Indiana. The goal is to produce up to half of the 800 to 1,000 pounds of catfish fillets served at the restaurants each week.