Alabama catfish farmer SouthFresh Aquaculture, a subsidiary of Alabama Farmers Cooperative, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

"While SouthFresh has elected to file for bankruptcy, SouthFresh remains a financially strong company and does not expect the bankruptcy to interfere with day-to-day operations and its ordinary course of business, or SouthFresh’s long-standing reputation as a Class A business," SouthFresh President Mark Lamb told customers in a statement.

The company estimates it has between $10 million and $50 million (€8.8