Jefferson Reporter

U.S. Senators Katie Britt and Tom Cotton, along with other Senate colleagues, have proposed the Cormorant Relief Act to aid catfish farmers and other aquaculture producers. The legislation aims to restore the ability of these producers to manage populations of double-crested cormorants, which are considered a threat to their operations.

Senator Britt expressed concern over the challenge, saying, "Every year, Alabama’s catfish farmers battle predatory double-crested cormorants in addition to the high input costs and overreaching regulations experienced by our entire agriculture industry. This commonsense bill allows our aquaculture producers the ability to better manage these cormorants that cause millions of dollars of losses year after year. Catfish is a vital part of our state’s economy, and I will always support our hardworking farmers and processors."

This legislation seeks to empower producers by reinstating U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regulations that allow them to control the cormorant population. The birds are known for causing significant economic impact in states like Arkansas, Mississippi, and Alabama due to their diet, which includes about a pound of fish daily.

Senator Cotton highlighted the issue faced by Arkansas's fish farmers: "Double-crested cormorants pose a significant threat to Arkansas’s fish farmers, but unnecessary regulation currently prevents them from taking additional steps to protect their ponds. Our bill would once again give fish farmers the ability to adequately defend their fish populations from the birds that are eating into their bottom line."

Supporting the initiative as cosponsors are Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith, Tommy Tuberville, and Roger Wicker, with Congressman Mike Ezell leading similar efforts in the House of Representatives.

Alabama's catfish industry, crucial to its agricultural economy, produces about one-third of the nation's catfish and ranks second in overall production. In regions such as the Black Belt counties of Alabama, catfish is a significant crop, contributing substantially to the local economy.

The double-crested cormorant, characterized as a large fish-eating bird, has seen its North American population rise due to a lack of natural predators and abundant food sources. This increase has resulted in substantial financial losses for aquaculture operations.

Senator Britt has been a vocal supporter of the catfish industry. In efforts to support the industry, she and others have previously influenced the U.S. Commerce Department to reverse an antidumping duty order on certain frozen fish fillets from Vietnam and urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture to purchase surplus domestic catfish for nutrition programs.