BY BHIVA PARAB | NT
PANAJI: The production of tempting ‘kalva’ or oysters, which are found in the rocky areas of the state close to the coast, could see a decline in the future if they are rampantly exploited.
According to a Pernem resident Nandakishore Nhanji, it has been recently noticed that some people and fisherfolk collect the ‘karpa’ or rocks having the oysters and carry them in big sacks thus taking them away from their natural habitat. “They then harvest the oysters from these rocks. This type of exploitation of the oysters can have an effect on their production in the years to come,” he said.
Stating that the oysters have a high demand among the tourists, while even locals consume them in large numbers, Nhanji said that earlier people used to harvest the oysters from the rocks in their natural habitat and a special type of pointed instrument is used for the job.
Elaborating on the oysters, an environmental activist Narayan Sopte Kerkar said that the oysters are generally called ‘kalva’ in Konkani. “They are delicate. It is a tasty shellfish usually found on the rocks along the coast. These rocks are broken to harvest the oysters, which are then used to prepare delicacies.”
Oysters are sedentary organisms unlike fish and remain inactive. “And if their habitat is destroyed, they may take more time to resurface than fish, which can move from one place to another,” said Kerkar adding that the practice of people taking away the smaller rocks having oysters to harvest the oysters could have an adverse effect on their production.
However, a fisherwoman had something else to say. Informing about the advantages of this practice, she said that they have adopted it as it becomes easier to harvest the oysters. “The ‘karpa’ are brought in bags to the place where we sell the ‘kalva’ and later we harvest them. When we shift the rocks from the riverside to the place where we sell the oysters, we can comfortably seat in the shade and harvest the oysters. Harvesting the oysters in their natural habitat involves a lot of hard work,” she said adding that a lot of time is also saved as they can harvest as well as sell the oysters simultaneously.
The oysters are available at high prices in the market and cost around Rs 50 to Rs 100 for a small share. The price, however, varies depending on the size of the oysters. According to a fish vendor, big oysters are priced at Rs 10 to Rs 20 per piece.
http://www.navhindtimes.in/rampant-exploitation-threatening-survival-of-oysters/
PANAJI: The production of tempting ‘kalva’ or oysters, which are found in the rocky areas of the state close to the coast, could see a decline in the future if they are rampantly exploited.
According to a Pernem resident Nandakishore Nhanji, it has been recently noticed that some people and fisherfolk collect the ‘karpa’ or rocks having the oysters and carry them in big sacks thus taking them away from their natural habitat. “They then harvest the oysters from these rocks. This type of exploitation of the oysters can have an effect on their production in the years to come,” he said.
Stating that the oysters have a high demand among the tourists, while even locals consume them in large numbers, Nhanji said that earlier people used to harvest the oysters from the rocks in their natural habitat and a special type of pointed instrument is used for the job.
Elaborating on the oysters, an environmental activist Narayan Sopte Kerkar said that the oysters are generally called ‘kalva’ in Konkani. “They are delicate. It is a tasty shellfish usually found on the rocks along the coast. These rocks are broken to harvest the oysters, which are then used to prepare delicacies.”
Oysters are sedentary organisms unlike fish and remain inactive. “And if their habitat is destroyed, they may take more time to resurface than fish, which can move from one place to another,” said Kerkar adding that the practice of people taking away the smaller rocks having oysters to harvest the oysters could have an adverse effect on their production.
However, a fisherwoman had something else to say. Informing about the advantages of this practice, she said that they have adopted it as it becomes easier to harvest the oysters. “The ‘karpa’ are brought in bags to the place where we sell the ‘kalva’ and later we harvest them. When we shift the rocks from the riverside to the place where we sell the oysters, we can comfortably seat in the shade and harvest the oysters. Harvesting the oysters in their natural habitat involves a lot of hard work,” she said adding that a lot of time is also saved as they can harvest as well as sell the oysters simultaneously.
The oysters are available at high prices in the market and cost around Rs 50 to Rs 100 for a small share. The price, however, varies depending on the size of the oysters. According to a fish vendor, big oysters are priced at Rs 10 to Rs 20 per piece.
http://www.navhindtimes.in/rampant-exploitation-threatening-survival-of-oysters/
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