African catfish conquers aquaculture in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania!

African catfish conquers aquaculture in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania!

The African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) has established itself as the leading food fish in aquaculture in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. According to information from Süddeutsche.de More than 400 tons of this fish species were produced in 2024, accounting for over 73 percent of the region's total aquaculture fish production. These impressive figures make it clear that the African catfish not only plays a significant role in the regional economy, but is also highly valued for its outstanding characteristics.

The popularity of the African catfish is due, among other things, to its rapid growth rate, adaptability to various environmental conditions and high resistance to disease. The fish also has boneless meat, which makes it particularly attractive to consumers. Carp takes second place in aquaculture production in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, with total production reaching more than 40 tons.

Production increases and regional focuses

The total production of edible fish and crustaceans in the region's freshwater facilities was around 550 tons in 2024. This corresponds to an increase of over 20 percent compared to the previous year. However, there had been a decline in production in the years before 2024. The agricultural businesses are mainly concentrated in the Rostock and Mecklenburg Lake District districts, where five farms each operate, and in the Ludwigslust-Parchim district, where four businesses farm fish. These three regions together produce almost 98.5 percent of the fish in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

A current research project to intensify predatory catfish farming is being carried out by the University of Rostock in collaboration with local fish producers. The aim is to optimize production conditions and increase efficiency in fish farming. The focus is on the reproduction and rearing of larvae, as well as improving the housing conditions and the quality of the production water.

Research content and objectives

The project, which is based on the tasks and goals of the previous project “Increasing performance and optimized process water management in the (integrated) production of African catfish”, will run from September 2023 to September 2027 and is supported by funding from the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund and the Ministry for Climate Protection, Agriculture, Rural Areas and Environment Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. In particular, the focus will be on the selection of spawning fish, the selection of inexpensive live food and self-sorting.

An innovative approach within the project is the integration of different plant species in the circulatory system to improve water quality through aquaponics. This includes herbs as well as medicinal and ornamental plants. The research team will investigate practical tasks and develop solutions that will be tested in the “FischGlasHaus”.