Cormorant Fishing

Cormorant fishing is a tradition that dates back hundreds of years in China and Japan, and is also practiced in Macedonia.

The birds are taken by the fisherman at a young age and become bonded to him. They catch fish according to natural instincts but are prevented from swallowing all but the smallest fish by a ring placed around their neck during the fishing. However, the birds are not silly and refuse to catch more fish unless they are rewarded occasionally - typically with every seventh fish.

The cormorants normally return to the bamboo raft when their throat is full. Sometimes the fisherman needs to hook them up by the short length of string attached to one leg for that purpose.

The fisherman tend to work at dusk, using lanterns to attract the fish. They beat the water with the pole of their bamboo raft to scare fish out of any weeds, making them easier prey for the cormorants.

Cormorants can manage to take quite large fish - even up to about 30cm in length.

Any cormorant fishing show usually ends with a demonstration of the fish being swallowed and returned, and with an opportunity for you to have your photograph taken with the birds (for extra money, of course.) Beware! - their poo is more smelly than most other birds.

Where to go cormorant fishing

Yangshuo

The cormorant fishing show is on every evening. The fisherman will be on a bamboo raft with his birds. These birds will dive into the water and look for fish and try to catch them. If successful, they return to the raft where the fisherman grabs the bird and puts the beak over a basket where the fish falls into

During the show, you will be in a boat following the fisherman