• Farmed channel catfish — Ictalurus punctatus (family Ictaluridae), scaleless freshwater catfish
• Butterflied / back-opened — gutted and cut open along the backbone, lies flat for cooking
• Two forms: bone-in dressed (whole, backbone retained) or deboned butterfly fillet (boneless)
• Graded by weight: 600–800 / 800–1000 / 1000–1200 g per fish
• 10 kg block (BQF) or IQF, glazing by customer requirement
• Mild, firm, boneless-friendly flesh (few intramuscular bones); ideal for grilling and prepared dishes
• Farmed — ASC / BAP / GLOBALG.A.P. applicable; MSC NOT applicable
• Export base: Fujian, China (farmed in Hubei and other CN freshwater regions)

• Grilled / roasted whole fish (the classic "butterflied fish" format for foodservice and home)
• Pan-fried, steamed, braised prepared dishes
• Further processing into fillet, portion or ready-to-cook (RTC) lines
• Ethnic grocery and retail (whole frozen fish / fillet)
• Foodservice and restaurant supply (hotpot, BBQ, set meals)

• ASC / BAP / GLOBALG.A.P. — applicable (channel catfish are farmed; confirm the specific farm / facility certificate for the batch)
• MSC — NOT applicable (this is aquaculture, not wild capture; do not request an MSC claim for farmed catfish)
• HACCP / BRC / IFS / ISO 22000 — food-safety management systems for processing
• HALAL / KOSHER — available on request
• FDA registration and EU approval available on request

• Store at −18 °C or below under an unbroken cold chain. Typical frozen shelf life 18–24 months for well-packed product held continuously frozen (shorter if the pack is not sealed or if temperature fluctuates). Because the fish is back-opened (more surface exposed than a whole fish), it is more sensitive to freezer burn and dehydration — keep blocks/IQF well glazed and sealed. Keep frozen until use; thaw under refrigeration and cook thoroughly. Do not refreeze after thawing.

Q1. What species is this, and how do I avoid substitution on the PO? A. This is channel catfish — Ictalurus punctatus (family Ictaluridae, order Siluriformes), a scaleless freshwater catfish. It is the canonical species behind the Chinese regional brand "Qingjiang fish". It is not a carp, not a marine fish, and not pangasius / basa (which are Pangasius spp., a different catfish family). The trade name "Qingjiang fish" is sometimes loosely applied to other species, so fix the Latin name Ictalurus punctatus on the purchase order and packing list, and confirm species on the health certificate, to prevent substitution.

Q2. What does "butterflied / back-opened" mean, and which form do I need? A. "Back-opened" means the fish is gutted and cut open along the backbone so it lies flat, butterfly style. We supply two forms: (1) bone-in dressed — backbone retained, flesh connected at the belly; best for whole-fish grilling where the frame holds shape; (2) deboned butterfly fillet — backbone removed, two loins still attached, fully boneless; best for boneless portions and further processing. Tell us which you need (head-on or head-off, bone-in or deboned) on the specification.

Q3. What HS code applies — 0303.89 or 0304.62? A. It depends on whether the backbone is removed: (1) Bone-in back-opened fish (dressed, backbone retained) → HS 0303.89 (other frozen fish); China 10-digit 0303899090 / 0303899000. (2) Deboned butterfly fillet (backbone removed) → HS 0304.62; the China 10-digit for channel catfish fillets is 03046211 (frozen channel catfish fillet), with 03046219 / 03046290 covering other catfish fillets. The deciding factor is backbone removal, so declare the exact form on the customs paperwork.

Q4. Is this wild or farmed, and which certification applies? A. Channel catfish are farmed in freshwater (ponds, cages, recirculating systems) — not wild-caught. Therefore the relevant certifications are aquaculture standards: ASC, BAP and GLOBALG.A.P., which you should confirm for the specific farm/facility. MSC does NOT apply (MSC is for wild-capture fisheries), so do not request an MSC claim for this product. State the farming certificate you require on the specification.

Q5. What quality and specification points must I confirm? A. Five points buyers should pin down: (1) Form — bone-in dressed vs deboned fillet, head-on vs head-off. (2) Size grade — per-fish weight (e.g. 600–800 / 800–1000 / 1000–1200 g). (3) Glazing — agree ice-glaze % (commonly 0–20%); glaze protects but is not product weight. (4) Net weight — declared weight is net product excluding glaze and carton; agree the tolerance. (5) Cold chain — request −18 °C temperature logs; as a farmed product, also confirm the ASC/BAP/GLOBALG.A.P. cert and any destination-specific requirements (e.g. the US has a dedicated catfish inspection program) before shipment.