Over the next three years, there was an annual decline
in both production and acreage. Several factors caused
this shake-out period. Primarily, markets had not
developed to support the increased production and
production costs had increased due to the oil embargo.
Many states had dramatic declines in acreage. By this
time, Mississippi had emerged as the primary producer of
channel catfish because processing in the state had grown
with the industry, providing a dependable, year-round
market for producers.