Purpose of This Petition

The area around Lake Kasumigaura in Ibaraki Prefecture—one of Japan’s main lotus root (renkon) producing regions, including Tsuchiura City, Kasumigaura City, and Namegata City—is covered with vast lotus root fields.
In many of these fields, so-called “bird-proof nets” are installed overhead.

Waterfowl and wild birds become entangled in these nets, which have mesh openings of about 17 cm.
They struggle desperately, and the thin but extremely strong net cuts into their wings and bodies.
If the net wraps around their necks, they suffocate.
If it traps their legs, their bones break.
Unable to escape, they continue struggling and die in pain.

Waterfowl mainly use lotus root fields after harvest, where they feed on leftover lotus roots, aquatic plants, and insects.
After harvesting, bird nets should normally be removed. However, in many fields the nets are not taken down, and birds become caught in them when taking off from the water surface.

 

 

These overhead bird-proof nets are thin and difficult to see, yet as strong as fishing line.
Even for humans, it is extremely difficult to remove birds that have become tightly entangled.

Farmers say these nets are used to prevent birds from entering the fields and damaging lotus roots.
However, the sides of the fields are left wide open, making it easy for birds to enter anyway.
There is no data showing how effective this method actually is, and its effectiveness must therefore be considered highly questionable.

In some regions—such as lotus root fields in Saga Prefecture and in parts of Omitama City in Ibaraki Prefecture—another method is used: placing nets directly on the ground, known as “ground-laid nets.”
We believe that continuing a farming method that causes wild birds to die in this way is cruel and should be stopped.

“Ground-laid nets” are nets placed directly on the surface of the fields.
They have smaller mesh (about 4–5 cm) and are often bright orange, making them easy for birds to see.
(↓ This photo shows ground-laid nets installed in lotus fields in Tsuchiura City.)

 

 

By replacing overhead bird nets with ground-laid nets, it is possible to reduce the entry of waterfowl and wild birds into the fields and greatly decrease deaths caused by entanglement when birds take off.

In Shiroishi Town, Saga Prefecture, where ground-laid nets have been introduced, the Wild Bird Society of Japan (Saga branch), JA Saga Shiroishi, and town officials have reported that no duck carcasses have been found.
Saga Shimbun article:

https://archive.vn/2019.01.01-015941/https://www.saga-s.co.jp/articles/-/320869

In Omitama City, Ibaraki Prefecture, no bird carcasses caused by ground-laid nets were found within the surveyed areas in January 2026.
(↓ This photo shows the nets in Omitama City. The orange ground-laid nets are at the bottom of the image, and the overhead nets are at the top.)

 

 

Overhead nets stretched high using poles create a serious risk: birds fail to notice them when taking off from the water surface, collide with them, become entangled, weaken, and eventually die.

In contrast, ground-laid nets make it difficult for birds to enter from the sides in the first place, and leave very little space for waterfowl or wild birds to become trapped.
Although they are not 100% risk-free, they are considered far safer.

Since a relatively simple alternative exists and has already produced visible results, the continued use of overhead bird nets—which cause the deaths of wild birds and directly contribute to environmental destruction—should be discontinued.

We call on Ibaraki Prefecture, Tsuchiura City, and lotus root producers’ associations to replace overhead bird nets with ground-laid nets, eliminate harm to wild birds, and aim for coexistence between agriculture, wildlife, and nature.

More than 25,000 signatures are needed.
Please share this URL with others and help spread awareness of this issue.