In 1995 and 1996, fish loss due to bird predation was documented at 18 pond
s at seven aquaculture facilities in central Florida. Losses in ponds from
which birds were excluded with netting averaged 11.1%, whereas losses in un
netted ponds averaged 37.6%. Populations of wading birds varied among facil
ities, but the snowy egret Egretta thula, green-backed heron Butorides stri
atus, tricolored heron E. tricolor, and little blue heron E. caerulea were
the principal depredating species. Field observations revealed feeding rate
s by little blue herons as high as 4 fish/min. Estimated monetary losses at
unnetted study ponds averaged US$1,360/pond compared with average losses o
f $589 at netted ponds. Currently, exclusion is the only technique that is
consistently reliable, and it appears that netting ponds to control bird de
predations is economically feasible, particularly with high-value fish.