The Group was formerly known as the Northern Area Catfish Group (NACG) which was formed in 1979 as a member group/branch of the Catfish Association of Great Britain (CAGB).

When the main group broke up in 1993 the NACG was left as the only active catfish group in the country. The monthly meetings have always been held in Wigan in the northwest of England but with the membership growing and a fair number of the members being located outside of this area, it was felt in 1996 that the group would further benefit with a name change to a body that would identify itself as the main Catfish Group in the U.K.

Thus it was decided that the new millennium would herald a fresh beginning and so was born the Catfish Study Group (UK). The U.K. has now been dropped as of Jan.2007 and we also have a new venue in Darwen, still in the northwest. We have come a long way in a short period of time, to the world wide membership we now enjoy.

The monthly meetings consist of a lecture / talk and / or a slide show about anything to do with catfish. There is also a canteen laid on which is frequently visited.

In additional to this, the group publishes "Cat Chat" periodically and distributes this to all members. Our annual convention is a great opportunity to hear varied and interesting talks given by speakers from around the world and to "talk catfish" with many other aquarists.