Assisting American

Aquaculture

The Wildlife Services (WS) program, part of the U.S.

Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health

Inspection Service (APHIS), helps reduce wildlife

damage to agricultural, urban, and natural resources.

WS also addresses threats to public health and safety and protects endangered and threatened species

from predators.

Wildlife Problems at Fish Farms

Fish production in the United States is on the rise,

particularly in the East, where millions of dollars’

worth of catfish, trout, baitfish, shellfish, and crawfish

are grown and harvested annually. American aquaculturists raise an estimated 900 million pounds of

fish each year. Every year in Maine alone, fish farms

grow an average of 16.5 million pounds of salmon

worth $50 million. In Arkansas, the combined production of catfish and baitfish is valued at more than

$60 million. It is estimated that, within the next 10

years, farms will produce 2.2 billion pounds of fish

each year.

This growing industry is not without its problems.

Aquaculturists report that fish-eating birds cause a

significant economic loss. Cormorants, herons,

ducks, egrets, gulls, ospreys, pelicans, ibises, and

other fish-eating birds eat away at aquaculture profits,

with some operations reporting 1-year losses in

excess of $200,000. In the lower Mississippi Valley,

cormorants eat about $6 million worth of catfish each

year. Additionally, birds prey on priceless populations

of endangered and rare species of fish. Minimizing Losses

When fish farmers need a responsible and environmentally sound solution for wildlife-caused damage, they turn to WS. WS wildlife biologists conduct

onsite evaluations to assess the damage and to identify the species of bird or mammal causing it. They

offer technical and direct operational assistance to

aquaculture producers, including information about

effective frightening and exclusionary techniques.

WS encourages the use of netting, wire grids, and

fencing because these devices offer fish farmers

long-term protection. However, the cost often makes

physical barriers impractical, and some farmers

report that the barriers interfere with normal fish-rearing operations. For additional relief, WS recommends

the use of noise-making devices, such as propane

cannons and cracker shells, as well as visual tools,

like “eye-spot” balloons, remote-control boats and airFactsheet

Wildlife Services November 2001

APHIS

Great blue heron

Great egret
planes, and scarecrows. Unfortunately, many birds

quickly adapt to the sight and sound of such devices.

If exclusionary and scaring techniques fail to

reduce losses, the U.S. Department of the Interior’s

Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) may issue a depredation permit to remove a limited number of birds from a

specific farm. The removal of birds enhances the use

of alternative control methods. The issuance of these

permits is rigidly controlled because most fish-eating

birds are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

Research Projects

With the growth of the aquaculture industry and its

importance to American consumers, WS’ National

Wildlife Research Center conducts research and field

studies to improve current damage-control methods

and develop new ideas. The majority of the Center’s

research work concentrates on the development and

refinement of nonlethal control methods. In addition,

WS continues to work with FWS to study the ecology,

behavior, food habits, and migratory patterns of various fish-eating birds.

Additional Information

You may obtain further information about aquaculture and the wildlife services of WS from any State

APHIS, WS office. For the address and telephone

number in your area, call the WS Operational Support

Staff at (301) 734–7921. You can also find information

on WS programs, by visiting our Web site at

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ws.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination

in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national

origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to

all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative

means for communication of program information (Braille, large

print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of

Civil Rights, Room 326–W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence

Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250–9410 or call (202) 720–5964

(voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and

employer.

United States Department of Agriculture • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service • Safeguarding American Agriculture