The Fishy Politics of Catfish: Why a Single Seafood Answers to the USDA, Not the FDA
In a unique quirk of American law, catfish is the only seafood not regulated by the FDA. Instead, it falls under the USDA's purview, just like meat and poultry. This isn't due to biology, but a fascinating history of economic protectionism and powerful lobbying from the U.S. catfish industry.