Cormorant fishing

Historically, cormorant fishing has taken place in China and Japan,[1] as well as Greece, North Macedonia, and briefly, England and France.

[4] Elsewhere in southern China, the Bai people have utilized cormorant fishing since the 9th century on the banks of Erhai Lake.

[7] However, since it is "unique" (as it uses birds and skillful techniques), viewing cormorant fishing, since the Heian period, has been used as amusement for aristocratic classes and warlords in Japan.

[8] Tokugawa Ieyasu, after the Summer Campaign (1615) of Siege of Osaka, visited Gifu, enjoyed seeing cormorant fishing and eating ayu.

[8] Thus began to offer ayu sushi to the Shogun, and masters of cormorant fishing were allowed to move freely over the river.

[12] In the 19th century, Francis Henry Salvin reintroduced the practice in England by putting on displays and bringing his birds to fisheries exhibitions.