by Kevin T McEneaney
Cormorants are superb fishers, diving
deep into the ocean, rivers, and lakes
where they catch fish with their powerful bills.
Humans have long employed them to catch fish,
and in China and Japan, they still do.
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Diving, roosting cormorants are captured,
then rigorously train at least six months
by putting a ring around the bird’s neck,
the ring being loose enough to catch fish,
yet small enough to prevent swallowing.
Fishermen reel the cormorant back in
to remove the catch from the bird’s long beak.
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The bird is allowed to eat each eighth fish.
In captivity, they live thrice as long.
