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June 18, 2007: Ukai, traditional Japanese comorant fishing
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Welcome, it's Neatorama Collaboration Monday! http://cellar.org/2007/ukai1.jpg The Sydney Morning Herald had this one featuring Ukai, a traditional fishing method that has been used in Japan for 1300 years, or so they say. In Ukai, you use a sea bird, a comorant, on a leash to fish for you. It's pretty disgusting and so the practice is pretty much limited to a small group of traditional fishermen. Why? This page has more detail, including the note that they have to prevent the bird from eating the fish somehow. So they put a small ring around its neck, and once the bird catches something... http://cellar.org/2007/ukai2.jpg ..you make it cough up the goods. According to Neatorama's Alex, the practice was originally founded in China. Be sure to visit Neatorama for more neato items all the time! |
Birds always swallow fish head first to avoid being impaled on the fish's spines. I wonder how they disgorge the fish without getting injured?
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This fishing practice features in one of the Bond books.
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I remember cormorant fishing from the book Island of the Blue Dolphins.
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I remember cormorant killing from that book, but not fishing. There was some other kid's book that had fishing thing in it, wasn't there?
The girl had a cape or skirt of cormorant skins, IIRC. (Funny, I know the dog's name was Rontu (and his son Rontu-Aru) but I can't remember hers for nothin'. Did they ever give it?) |
I'm assuming they cook these fish pretty much right on the spot, then?
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I don't think so, I thought they feed the tourists mostly.
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i wonder what they have the burning basket for? :eyebrow:
- light for the fish to see them, being curious and come to the surface - to stress the cormorant - to keep warm - for a simple and quick BBQ after pulling out the fish of the birds throat other theories...? |
How about....
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The light from the fire attracts the fish. Around these parts they use a camping lantern. The Japs also use a drum, or beat on the boat, to attract the fish but I should think that would drive them away.
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Is that a Japanese smurfette working on the boat?
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wonder what they have the burning basket for?
The burning basket is to singe off the cormorant feathers before they eat them. That's what happens after selling the fish to tourists. Tastes like chicken.
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Still, if you're still hankering for a cormorant recipe: Quote:
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I don't remember the book too well, but I do remember reading it in school. We probably learned about the cormorant fishing then.
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