Monocultures often require outside sources of energy and nutrients, whereas a polyculture is more likely to be self-sustaining. The Catfish Farmers of America has more than 2,000 members, and more than half of the country's catfish production is in Mississippi. However, one of the most successful catfish operations may well be Butterfield's Alabama farm because of his grasp of ecological principles. A key principle for long-term success in catfish farming, and all other professions that harvest plants or animals, is sustainability. The processes involved in producing the commodity must not cost more in terms of energy and nutrients than the commodity itself is worth.
Some catfish farms raise catfish solely, with no or few other fish species in the ponds.
According to Butterfield, such operations must import fish meal from outside sources for catfish food. In addition, a catfish monoculture depletes underground water sources because the water must be replaced constantly for cleansing purposes. These and other environmental problems can be avoided by using a polyculture approach. A critical problem faced by most catfish farmers is the buildup of phytoplankton, the algae that cause algal blooms, which in turn result in decreased levels of oxygen in the water. If toxic chemicals must be used to control an algal bloom, the discarded wastewater pollutes local streams and rivers.