Aquaculture is of greater economic importance to Arkansas than is traditional commercial fishing. As of 1999, the state ranked 1st in the US in minnow farming, and 2nd only to Mississippi in catfish farming. As of 1 January 1999, there were 152 catfish operations covering 28,978 acres (13,144 hectares) of water surface, with 128.5 million stocker-size and 185 million fingerling/fry catfish. Some producers rotate fish crops with row crops, periodically draining their fish ponds and planting grains in the rich and well-fertilized soil. Arkansas had 575,130 licensed anglers in 1998.