Village leader hails move to check dwindling cockle numbers

KLANG: Kampung Bagan Sungai Yu Baru village headman Sow Eng Guan has lauded the authorities’ attempt to help revive the dwindling number of cockles.

However, he also noted that such efforts must be done properly with planning and site surveys, and take into consideration possible drawbacks on farmers’ livelihood.

“It usually takes between 10 months and a year for spats to grow sufficiently in size for harvest.

“The time frame would depend on how fertile the mud is and also the sea conditions,” he said.

Sow, who has been a cockle farmer for over 20 years, said that banning harvest during the peak periods was not a feasible move as cockles spawn all year round and most farmers deposit the spats in batches throughout the peak periods.

“With that, the harvest time for each batch could be different.

“Considering other factors such as the current and mud fertility, not all cockles can be harvested the same time.

“So, banning harvest during a particular time could make life difficult for farmers,” he said.

Apart from strengthening enforcement to curb rampant cockle thefts at farms, Sow said the authorities, such as the Fisheries Department should consider bringing existing farms closer to the shore to increase the shellfish produce.

“Farmers used to have their cockle farms near the shore some 20 years ago until the authorities decided to delineate the farms according to lots and brought them further out to sea.

“That decision has cost the industry in the long run because the mud is harder, hence discouraging cockle growth. Mud closer to the shore is soft and allows cockles to breathe and produce bigger and better cockles,” he added.

Cockle farmer Ab Aziz Selamat said he was open to the recommendations by the Fisheries Department.

He said the major problems they faced were pollution and a shortage of spats.

The 57-year-old fisherman, who has been farming cockles near Sungai Janggut in Kuala Selangor, wanted authorities to protect spat falls from being plundered.

He said boats with Thai and Cambodian crews were illegally harvesting the spats.