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Cormorant fishermen use sea cormorants to catch sweetfish on October 9th, 2018 in Gifu, Japan. In this traditional fishing art, 'ukai,' a cormorant master called 'usho' manages the birds to capture ayu, or sweetfish. The ushos of River Nagara have been the official staff of the Imperial Household Agency of Japan since 1890. Currently, six fishermen of the Nagara River conduct special fishing for the Imperial family eight times a year, on top of daily fishing from mid-May to mid-October.

News in Brief
Viewfinder

Viewfinder: Fishing for Ayu in Japan

Cormorant fishermen use sea cormorants to catch sweetfish on October 9th, 2018, in Gifu, Japan.

Pacific Standard Staff

Salmon bluebacks spend several months in Lake Quinault, living off their fatty flesh before spawning in the Quinault River.

Social Justice

Breaking a Sacred Trust: On the Exploitation of Traditional Native Knowledge

In many Native American communities, there's a fear that any knowledge shared with scientists could end up in published reports—which could, in turn, lead to a familiar story of plundering.

Terri Hansen