NWRC Research Areas: Aquaculture

Much of the catfish served in the United States was grown in an aquaculture facility instead of being caught from rivers or lakes. Aquaculture, the commercial production of fish and shellfish for food, is an increasingly important type of agriculture, especially in the southeastern United States. Unfortunately, fish-eating birds such as American white pelicans, double-crested cormorants, great blue herons, and great egrets are attracted to the pond-based and open-water facilities found in aquaculture areas. These birds feed upon fish, shellfish, shrimp, and crayfish produced in aquaculture facilities, often causing significant losses. In fact, cormorant depredation on catfish caused industry-wide sales losses of $47.2 million.

Because of the extensive losses suffered by aquaculture producers, NWRC established a field station in Starkville, MS, in 1988 to research not only the economic impacts but details around bird predation and how to minimize or prevent it. NWRC scientists with the aquaculture research project study captive and free-ranging birds to better understand what conditions or behaviors influence predation rates. For example, scientists are looking at bird foraging patterns, bird population distributions, preferred prey size, and a host of other factors that may influence how much product is lost to bird predators. Additional studies are looking at the role birds play in transmission of catfish diseases and parasites. Ultimately, these studies will provide data that will promote innovative approaches to reducing bird predation impacts on aquaculture.