Kill 2 Birds or (up to) 600 fish with 1 Stone!

There is a fishing practice in Japan that uses birds to catch fish. A British friend reminded me about it when he heard me using the phrase, kill two birds with one stone.

"If you aim for the wrong bird in Japan", he said, "your kill might cost you up to 600 fish on a good day". Yeah, right. It's true though. Not many people know about cormorant fishing so if you're interested here's how it's done.

The cormorant is a dark-colored water bird with a long neck, a hooked bill, and a distensible throat pouch. The fishermen keep the birds on individuals leashes and can handle up to 12 of these large birds at the same time. Around the birds' neck they place a small ring to prevent them from swallowing fish above a certain size.

Cormorant fishing only takes place at night. To attract a fish a bright burning wood brazier is suspended above the water. The birds are then allowed to begin their hunt.

When the bird's pouch is full, it is pulled back into the boat and its catch is removed. Each time the bird is put into water, it catches from two to four fish and a total catch on a good night is about 50. Cormorants need about two weeks of training before they can do their job properly. Cormorant fishing was invented to catch a river fish called ayu or sweetfish which disdains fisherman's bait. The fish is highly prized in Japan.

When you throw a stone to hit two birds in Japan, be careful which birds you aim for. Cormorants are worth a small fortune and are great entertainment to watch. :)

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