cormorant fishing

[albertpachino]

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[img]http://neatorama.cachefly.net/images/2007-06/ukai-cormorant-fishing.jpg" border="0" width="470" height="347" />


Today’s collaboration with Cellar Image of the Day brings us this image of a unique way of fishing: using cormorant <font color="#32527a" style="color: #32527a ! important; font-family: Verdana,"luxi-sans-1",Helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; font-size: 11px; position: static]<span class="kLink" style="color: #32527a ! important; font-family: Verdana,"luxi-sans-1",Helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: 400; font-size: 11px; position: static]birds</span></font>!


From Yamasa Institute’s Japan Travel Guide:

<blockquote>

Ukai, or cormorant fishing, is a traditional method
of river fishing that has been practiced in Japan for some 1300 years.
This method involves fishermen using cormorant birds on leashes to
catch sweetfish (such as the Ayu). Ukai is not as widespread as it once
was, because it is no longer an economically viable form of fishing.
However it has managed to preserve its traditions and is increasingly
popular with tourists.

</blockquote>

How do they stop the bird from just eating the fish?

<blockquote>

Every time a cormorant manages to catch a fish, the
Usho pulls them back into the boat and forces them to disgorge the
fish. Why don’t the cormorants just eat the fish, you ask? Because the
metal ring around the base of the cormorants neck is just large enough
to let extremely small fish through, but too small to let a bird
swallow any fish of the size that fishermen, tourists and imperial
family members are hoping to eat.

</blockquote>

Cormorant fishing is also practiced in China, but with this
difference: in China, cormorants are like beloved pets to the
fisherman. He would train the bird to catch and release the fish
instead of swallowing it. (see: Gil Azouri’s Li River Cormorant Fisherman)


FROM NEATORAMA!!!*

[guest]

<strong>Guest:</strong>

During my last*China Travel i've seen this in Yangshuo...