Cormorant Fishing

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The cormorant (also called a Shag) is a bird that has the ability to dive under water and stay there a long time looking for fish. It can grab the fish and take it to the surface in its beak before eating it.

This skill has been used over the years by locals to catch fish for their meals. They prevent the fish being swallowed by the cormorant by putting a string around the birds neck. The string is not tight but the bird's neck cannot expand enough to eat the bird. At this stage the local "fisherman" will grab the bird and empty its catch into a basket.

Some locals still fish this way. Shows are now put on for visitors to see these amazing birds in action. The evenings are usually the best time to see the show.

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