Shulin Yu's Image

Shulin Yu (China) highlights the plight of migrating seabirds caught in illegal nets.

Shulin often visits China’s Poyang Lake to photograph animals. On this day he took a boat out and saw the consequences of a poacher’s illegally set mist net. Inside was an ensnared and long-dead gull, likely a black-headed gull.

Hundreds of thousands of birds overwinter here. Among them is virtually the entire global population of both the critically endangered Siberian crane and the Endangered oriental stork. But it’s not just birds that the lake offers sanctuary to it’s also vital to the survival of the critically endangered Yangtze finless porpoise - China’s last remaining freshwater cetacean.

Shulin’s image from 2013 highlights an illegal practice that’s since been stopped. Many other threats remain, however, with dredging, drought and reduced food supply all impacting the animals that rely on the lake.

How you can help

• Migratory birds often get entangled in nets used by illegal fisheries. Try to buy line- or pole-caught fish, as this type of fishing greatly reduces the risk of bycatch - accidentally catching species other than the one intended.
• If you see a bird tangled in a fishing net, don't cut the line, as this could cause the bird to become more entangled. Instead, reel the bird in and then hold it securely in your hands or a towel. Untangle the line or netting. If the bird is uninjured, you can release it, but if it's injured, call your local bird sanctuary to help.
• Decrease demand for fishing by reducing the amount of fish you eat.