GULP! Impacts of Double-crested Cormorants on Catfish Aquaculture in the Black Belt of Alabama and Mississippi

Abstract

The Black Belt region of Mississippi and Alabama is the second largest region of catfish (Ictalurus sp.) aquaculture production in the U.S. Double-crested cormorants (Nannopterum auritum; cormorant) are the most cited avian predator on catfish farms. While considerable research has evaluated cormorant predation in the Mississippi Delta, little has been done in the Black Belt. The objectives of this study were to quantify the diet of cormorants on catfish farms in the Black Belt and estimate the relative abundance and variables influencing cormorant abundance. During 2023–2024 and 2024–2025, we conducted aerial surveys October–April. Following surveys, we collected pond characteristic information and cormorants for diet analyses. Diet was primarily shad and catfish. Catfish consumption was highest in February and March. We observed a similar seasonal trend in cormorant abundance. Hurdle models indicated that abundance and occupancy were driven by separate variables, with pond size being the most significant.