First, max out your reputation at the trading post by selling those rare fish - gotta aim for tier 3 which needs quite a grind. Each tier 2 fish like raw salmon gives 100 rep points, and you'll need about 27 of those bad boys to hit that sweet 3000 reputation mark. Getting those earlier tier 1 catches helps too since they're worth 10 points each, but the bigger fish are where it's at for faster progress.

Once you've hit tier 3, grab the advanced scarecrow for 8 trash cubes and 10 trade coins. The timing on placing these is pretty crucial, since they'll take about twice as many seagull hits compared to the basic version before breaking down. Position them strategically near your crop plots - especially important if you're planning longer trips or running bigger farms, and you'll definitely notice the difference in crop survival rates. Maybe interesting: try spacing multiple scarecrows evenly across larger farms to maximize their protective coverage, just remember to keep an eye on their durability during those extended voyages.