Colvale's kalle khube: Search, but you won't find

Paul Fernandes, TNN, Feb 17, 2011, 07.29am IST
COLVALE: Colvale was once famous for its catch of kalle khube or black clams, but intensive sand mining for almost three decades has disturbed the habitat of this delicacy, rendering them extinct, say villagers.

Many local families once survived on traditional fishing of clams during the low tide as the shellfish were found aplenty in Chapora river at Colvale, says retired government official Servo Fernandes. Some quantities can still be found in downstream Camurlim, which has discouraged sand mining. ''But kalle khube are as good as extinct in Colvale," he adds.

In other areas, such as St Estevam, the habitat of this species of shellfish has also been damaged. A source who recently visited his relative's place at Marcela after many years and asked for a plate of kalle khube was told: "We would be happy if you could get us some."

NIO's fisheries scientist Baban Ingole says he has tasted the delicacy, "It was much sought after in the Mapusa market, but its availability now has drastically reduced." While locals allege that stocks of other estuarine fish species have also depleted, Ingole says intensive sand mining can leave a severe impact on the estuarine environment.

Conceding that demand for construction activities has spurred sand mining all along the coast from Karwar to Mumbai, Ingole is unaware if the subject has been thoroughly studied. "An extensive long-term study, covering all seasons, to understand what happens when sand is extracted and when it is not, has to be done to produce a document for future reference," he says.

Ingole further admits that he is speaking from experience about the impact and that there is no proper data about estuarine fish species in Goa. "The Colvale habitat of kalle khube may have been destroyed by sand mining, but this shellfish species may be found elsewhere," says Ingole.

He explains, "The turbidity in the water column due to sand mining leads to suffocation of other migratory fish species. They get affected as fine sand particles choke their gills and they may even die."

Moreover, the spawning of fish is disturbed by continuous sand mining. The only time sand mining comes to a halt is during the peak of the monsoon. Sand replenishment also occurs at this time.

Meanwhile, the fisheries department has not studied the impact of sand mining on fisheries as the department does not have a research wing. "There is an immediate effect (of sand mining) on clams as they lie at the bottom of rivers," fisheries deputy director ShamilaMonteiro says. The shellfish beds of rivers have to be protected, but once in a few years some quantities of sand can be removed but only after a proper study. "Surface run offs from the mining belt and paddy fields too deposit on the bed that's why the sand can be removed," she explains.

Local resident Errol D'Souza says of the fish in Colvale, "It is very tough to get normal river fish such as palu and xevtte today. Hardly anyone fishes in Colvale now. A fisherman will instead cast his nets behind the Colvale church in shallow reaches of the river. But, it's difficult to see anyone else fishing." Echoes of similar complaints can be heard along Tiracol's riverbanks too.

source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Colvales-kalle-khube-Search-but-you-wont-find/articleshow/7511903.cms