Image by haaretz

A new study by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority is debunking a long-held theory by fishermen and Agriculture Ministry fishery experts that a bird known as the great cormorant is responsible for the worrisome disappearance of fish in Lake Kinneret.

According to reports by fishermen, the quantity of fish in the lake has declined from more than 2,000 tons a year two decades ago to a few hundred tons in recent years. Experts ascribed the decline largely to eating habits of the great cormorant, an avian winter guest in this country with a voracious appetite for the bounty of the lake.

Counts made by the Parks Authority show that between 13,000 and 23,000 cormorants land here every year (last winter’s count was 14,000 ), with a few thousand settling down in the Kinneret area. Their favorite meal is St. Peter’s fish (tilapia ), which also happens to be one of the most economically valuable species to the fishermen.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

Authority scientist Yifat Artzi’s calculations show that, at most, the birds are responsible for eating only some 38 tons of St. Peter’s fish – not enough to explain the decline.

For more, go to Haaretz

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on. Make a gift today!

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$90 $180

$360

Other amount