[Congressional Bills 118th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [S. Res. 802 Agreed to Senate (ATS)] <DOC> 118th CONGRESS 2d Session S. RES. 802 Designating August 2024 as ``National Catfish Month''. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES August 1, 2024 Mr. Wicker submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to _______________________________________________________________________ RESOLUTION Designating August 2024 as ``National Catfish Month''. Whereas the Catfish Institute recognizes August to be National Catfish Month; Whereas the States of Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas recognize August to be National Catfish Month; Whereas the States of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Tennessee embody the channel catfish as their State fish; Whereas the United States farm-raised catfish industry employs nearly 10,000 people and creates more than $1,900,000,000 in economic output; Whereas the United States had more than 50,000 surface water acres used for catfish production in 2023, and catfish growers in the United States had $439,000,000 in sales during 2023; Whereas the average catfish farmer produces 5,000 pounds of catfish per acre; Whereas 99 percent of all United States farm-raised catfish are grown in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, and Texas; Whereas catfish is the largest farm-raised seafood product, by weight, in the United States, representing over 50 percent of the United States aquaculture industry; Whereas United States catfish must meet rigorous safety standards, making domestic catfish a nutritious choice and a reliably higher quality product than imported catfish; Whereas United States farm-raised catfish and Chesapeake Bay blue catfish are sustainable and environmentally friendly seafood products; Whereas catfish is a lean fish and an excellent source of protein; and Whereas catfish is a versatile fish in the cuisine of the United States, with a myriad of regional and national recipes to be enjoyed by all people of the United States: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate-- (1) designates August 2024 as ``National Catfish Month''; (2) recognizes the contributions of all workers, past and present, that produce, process, and provide catfish for the people of the United States; (3) recognizes that purchasing United States farm-raised catfish supports farmers, jobs, and the economy of the United States; and (4) recognizes Chesapeake Bay watermen for harvesting overpopulated blue catfish, thereby protecting the health of the Chesapeake Bay. <all>