Image courtesy of Wikipedia / Photo by Apple2000
With the ayu fishing season set to begin in June, measures have been taken to prevent damage from cormorants in the Chikuma River in Ueda City. Special plastic strings are being used.
The ayu fishing season is about to open, and 110 kilograms of ayu fry have been released into the Chikuma River, which flows through Ueda City. However, there is concern about large waterbirds, such as cormorants. Damage from cormorants is a problem nationwide, and in the Chikuma River, the released fry were quickly eaten by cormorants, causing trouble for those involved in the fishing industry. So, starting last year, they began installing…
■Kamiko Fisheries Cooperative, Tokuo Nishizawa: “The tape that was donated (last year) was quite effective.” It is a “repellent band” manufactured and sold by a company in Ueda City. It is said to have the effect of keeping cormorants away from the river by emitting a smell that cormorants dislike and by causing an electric shock-like tingling sensation when they touch it. Following last year’s high effectiveness, 20 people, including students from Nagano University, installed the repellent bands again this year.
■A second-year student at Nagano University: “I love playing in the river, so I participated with the desire to protect the environment here no matter what, and also because I want to eat lots of ayu (sweetfish).” What are the impressions of this year’s ayu fishing?
■Sakumi Hojo, head of the Kami-Ko Fisheries Cooperative: “I was relieved to see the ayu today. They were of good quality. I’m looking forward to seeing how much bigger they will be in the test catch a month from now.” Ayu fishing will open on June 20th in the area under the jurisdiction of the Kami-Ko Fisheries Cooperative.
