Drop in number of pelicans shot by famers, fish breeders

For years flocks of pelicans migrating through Israel were exposed to fatal shots from fish breeders trying to shoo them away from the fishponds that are their livelihood. This year, for the first time, there was relative quiet thanks to a first of its kind collaboration between the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, fish breeders and the Agriculture Ministry.

As part of this effort, feeding stations for the pelicans were set up for the first time in the vicinity of the Hula Reserve and the adjacent artificial lake (Lake Hula) by the Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund. At the same time, the fish breeders chased the pelicans away from ponds in other areas. As a result, only one single shooting incident was reported, as opposed to dozens and sometimes even hundreds of incidences of shooting at the protected bird in previous years in several areas.

Each year 30,000-40,000 pelicans come to Israel as part of the fall migration from Europe to Africa. Bird experts say the pelicans have a hard time continuing their migration if they do not get enough food while passing through Israel. The pelicans found food mostly in the fishponds, thereby damaging the fish breeders. They tried to keep the birds away using various scare techniques, and some breeders even started using guns, killing many birds.

Ohad Hatzofeh, an ecologist with the Israel Nature and Parks Authority's information unit, says the attempts to shoo away the pelicans without providing them with another source of nourishment only aggravated the problem. "They need to get food, and the more efficiently it is supplied to them, the shorter their stay in Israel will be. The moment things got harder, the pelicans remained in Israel longer, even in the winter. This made the problems worse because the pelicans ate from the fishponds for a longer period. The practice also increased the damage incurred by breeders and dealing with the problem became costlier."

This year for the first time there was cooperation in several areas between the fish breeders and the Agriculture Ministry. "With ministry funding, a large quantity of fish was transferred to the reserve and also to the lake," says Hatzofeh. "At the same time, there were coordinated and organized efforts to dispel the birds from ponds in other areas, without firing guns, and the pelicans shooed away from there could come to the Hula area and get food." He continued, "This year there was relatively little damage to fish breeders. I also believe an understanding has developed that the solution does not lie in the rifle sight. But we still expect there to be breeders who will revert back to firing at the birds."

Last week, JNF rangers reported the arrival of the first flocks of pelicans at Lake Hula. Hatzofeh hopes the Agriculture Ministry will once again fund a project to supply fish for the flocks arriving in October and November, which usually include pelicans that are more in need of food to continue migrating southward.