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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stuttgart, Arkansas » Harry K. Dupree Stuttgart National Aquaculture Research Cntr » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #148319
Title: BUILDING A BETTER MOUSE TRAP: MINIMIZING DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS PHALACROCORAX AURITUS FROM LANDING ON AQUACULTURE PONDS VIA AN EFFECTIVE NONLETHAL METHOD

Author
item Radomski, Andrew
item Collins, Charles
item Freeman, Donald

Submitted to: Eastern Wildlife Damage Management Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/15/2003
Publication Date: 4/3/2003
Citation: RADOMSKI, A.A., COLLINS, C.M., FREEMAN, D.W. BUILDING A BETTER MOUSE TRAP: MINIMIZING DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS PHALACROCORAX AURITUS FROM LANDING ON AQUACULTURE PONDS VIA AN EFFECTIVE NONLETHAL METHOD. EASTERN WILDLIFE DAMAGE MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS. 2003. p.7.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Methods used to minimize double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) and other fish-eating birds at aquaculture facilities have limited success because of their innate behavior to acclimate or ignore the technique. During 2000-2001, a technique using twine strung at 30 m intervals across 8 catfish ponds was tested. Observations were made from a 4 m tower during the winter months in 4 hour blocks. Over 100 hours of observations resulted in 4240 cormorant observations. Treatment ponds had 429 cormorant encounters (2.3 birds per hour) compared to 1017 cormorant encounters (10.6 birds per hour) on control ponds. During 2001-2002, 20 additional catfish ponds were utilized and an additional treatment of twine strung at 60 m was tested. Our findings included 646 cormorant encounters (4.3 birds per hour) on treatment ponds compared to 2350 cormorant encounters (15.6 birds per hour) on control ponds. Although not exclusive to all fish-eating birds, this technique offers a nonlethal, cost-efficient, easy to setup, and low maintenance method to minimize depredation at aquaculture facilities.