George Ray started his catfish farm near Brawley in 1969. It's hard to imagine fishing in the Imperial Valley desert. Ray says the mild 84-degree winters make it an ideal place to raise this cold-blooded animal. The easy winters balance out the extremely high summer averages. Those conditions help catfish grow faster here than anywhere else in the U. S.

Ray grows his catfish in 10-acre ponds. He harvests them by stretching long nets across the width of the pond. Tractors on either side sweep the pond, bringing the catfish to one end. They're put into a basket in which they are weighed. Trucks deliver a million pounds a year to Southern California fish markets and grocery stores.

In 1992 Catfish Farmers of America introduced a "Catfish Quality Assurance" program. Farmers agree to grow their fish under certain considerations, including quality water. That means a safer, better tasting fish for the consumer.

Speaking of taste, catfish has a mild, sweet flavor. It is low in sodium and fat. Greg Wiley, chef at the HatchCover Restaurant in Redding says catfish is easy to prepare. One way is to dip it in an egg and flour batter with lemon and spices. Just sauté it for about ten minutes.

The catfish industry is growing at a rate of 10 percent a year and that's good news for farmers and consumers.

If you have questions or comments about this story, please E-mail Producer/Reporter Pat McConahay at pmcconah@kvie.org.