The Free Online Aquaculture Dictionary

Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)

Species native to North America. The Channel Catfish has been farmed extensively in Central and Southern USA for many decades. In 1997 the industry was estimated at a value of $580 million with 230,000 tonnes (metric) processed. The fish is a warm water species, preferring temperatures of over 14oC and is tolerant of low oxygen concentrations which makes it an ideal candidate for pond culture. More recently farms have started adding supplemental feeds and growing the fish more intensively. 
See also http://nas.er.usgs.gov/fishes/accounts/ictaluri/ic_punct.html