The disappearance of the traditional mode of fishing gears seems to have impacted not only the fishery resources in the Kadalundi-Vallikkunnu Community Reserve, but also the dozens of migrant bird species that reach the sanctuary during winter. Studies conducted by a team of researchers from Calicut and Kannur universities have found a direct link between the traditional fishing method using bamboo nets and cages and the presence of birds in the estuarine waters of Kadalundi. Fish wealth M. Nasser, professor of zoology from Calicut University, who led the research, said the disappearance of the bamboo nets had not only affected the bird population, especially migrants in winter, but also the availability and variety of fish wealth in Kadalundi. What we used to see when people fished with bamboo nets and cages was a kind of mutualism. Water birds like egrets, herons and kingfishers used to swarm the area where they found their best feed, said Dr. Nasser. When the birds relished on the small fishes caught in the bamboo nets, fishermen used to collect only large and medium fishes caught in the cages. The interesting aspect of this fishing method was that all fish were caught alive and without any damage or injury to them, said K.M. Aarif, team member and DSc fellow at Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague. Fishermen used to throw all small fish back to the water without inflicting them any injury, thus displaying a great level of mutual regard for nature, said Dr. Aarif. S. Athira and P.K. Sujesh, the other members of the research team, said that the disappearance of the traditional fishing method and a fall in the fish resources indicated the dwindling quality of the habitat. Attention needed We immediately need to pay attention to this fall in quality, they said. The study, published in the Avian Research Scientific Journal, Springer, Beijing University, also pointed out that if the habitat and its ecology continue to take a beating, it would have a direct impact on the thousands of winged visitors reaching Kadalundi every year from across the continents.