The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-04-25
Prince of Wales
Views Fishing Industry

oNo, Hpil lo.-On mo0nleSs
nhght' Illuminated only by blazing
torches, Edward, Prince of Wales, will
lie taken for trip along the. River
Niagara to witness the strange cor
lnorant fishing industry while on his
visit to Japan as guest of the I'm
perial government.
This curious method of catchins
fish with birds instead of hook and limo
has existed in Japan from time I'M
memorial. Twenty-eight men. four
boats and Cd birds constitute a work
ing unit of these picturesque fishing
fleets to be seen in many sections of
Japan but particularly along the Nj
agara river
The cormorants are trained when
quite young and will continue to work
for Is and even 20 years. When well
trained and properly handled, each
bird will average about $50 lsh an
hour.
The master fisherman, distinguish
ed by his peculiar hat, stands in the
bow handling no fewer than IL birds
with remarkable skill. Another fish
erman, with four birds, is situated
amidships, third member of the crew
is stationed between the two, armed
with piece of bamboo which he
strikes to keep the birds at their
work, at the same time encouraging
them by shouts and cries.
Each cormorant has ring of metal
or bone around the base of it's neck
permitting it to swallow the smaller
fish as food but effectively stopping
those of marketable size from passing
through.
Round the body of the bird is a
cord, to which is attached in the mid
die of the back a short strip of stiff
whalebone, with which to lower the
bird into the water or lift it out again
and thin rein of spruce fibre, l2
feet long.
The master lowers his IL birds into
the stream and holds the reins in his
left hand, manipulating them with his
right as occasion requires. The sec
ond fisherman does the same with his
four birds while the third man begins
his volleys of noise.
The birds start diving and ducking
with wonderful swiftness as the fish
ccme swimming toward the blaze of
light. The master has busy time
handling his IL strings to prevent
them tangling while the birds are
dashing hither and thither.
When one of the birds becomes en-
gorged, it swims about in foolish,
helpless way, with it's head and swol-
len neck erect and the master hauls
it in. He forces it's bill open with his
left hand, still holding the other lines,
and squeezes out the fish with his
right, after which he returns the bird
to its work. This is all done with
such admirable dexterity and quick
ness that the other birds have not had
time to become entangled and immed-
lately the whole team is again per.
fectly in hand.
Each bird has it's own number and
knows it. No. 1 or "Ichi" is the
doyen of the corps, the senior in years
as well as rank and companions ac-
cording to their age come after him in
numerical order. Ichi is the last to
be put into the water and the first
to be taken out, the first to be fed
and the last to enter the baskets when
the work is over. Ichi has the post of
honor in the eyes of the boat. He is
solemn, grizzled old fellow, with
a pompous air. The others are placed
alternately on either side of the gun
vale according to their rank and
should the lawful order of precedence
at any time be violated, a terrific
rumpus occurs among them.
After the fishing is over, as each
cormorant is taken out of the water
the master can tell by it's weight
whether it has had enough to eat dur
ing the hunt and if not, the bird is
fed with the inferior fish that have
been caught.