The blood cockle (Andara granosa) is a bivalve shellfish that is known for its red ‘bloody’ appearance due to the presence of haemoglobin – the same thing we have in our blood – in their body fluids. In Chinese, cockles are called ‘see hum’.
Cockles are Important in Malaysia
However, the cockle trade is threatened
Production down
Once the largest blood cockle producer in the world, the industry is on the brink of collapse. Data from Tridge shows Malaysia’s blood cockle production declining 78.5% for the past 5 years. Now its contribution to global production is 4th in place at 3.4%, nothing compared to China supplying 74.1% globally(Tridge, 2019).
Data from the Department of Fisheries show that cockle production has been on a steady decline since, despite the increase in cockle production from 2007 to its peak in 2010 due to the Selangor government’s cockle aquaculture initiative. 2016 sees the worst harvest. Coincidentally an El Niño year, no cockle spawn was available and cockle production plummeted in that year. We can also see inflation in the cockle price, as the wholesale value of cockles does not decrease in parallel with cockle production in tonnes.
Price flux
My latest market visit in April sees prices of frozen de-shelled cockles at RM12.50/800g, whereas RM9.90/ kg for fresh cockles. Pulau Ketam has no blood cockle supply. When asking around the fish market, they’ve charged for RM12.00/kg and and will only supply upon request. In the 1980s, cockles were sold at 60 cents per kilogram. In 2007, it was RM1 per kilogram. Now, its sold RM8-13 per kilogram.
Pollution and dying
Pollution and habitat disturbance are the main reasons causing the decline in cockle production. Chemical effluents from river sources, disruptions in rainfall, runoff and tidal flows, and poor fishing habits are to blame for the dwindling populations and slowed growth rates of the cockles.
Where is the trade?
Habitat
Blood cockles are an inter-tidal species, meaning they live in areas of silty soil, such as mud flats and mangrove estuaries with alternating periods of submersion and exposure every day. They are filter feeders and live only very shallow beneath the coast (1 inch). Gathering cockles is possible either from natural or cultural beds (Fao.org, 2019).
Distribution of blood cockles are mainly around South East Asia and Northern Australia
Spawning is most active during rainy season. Cockle babies are swept off shore by increasing river inflow and return to the shore along the flow during the dry seasons. Reproductive season is between late raining season and early dry season of January and March in the west coast. Most spat are reproduced and harvested during this period. Cockle spat usually spawn once a year, which depends entirely on the water quality.
Aquaculture
In order to have an in-depth view of the cockle aquaculture industry , I’ve managed to meet up with the very same cockle farmer that is interviewed in the news and scientific studies – Mr. Kahar Buntal. He is a bright man in his 60s with a warm smile and a wealth of stories.
“Cockle aquaculture is a tough job despite no feeding or maintenance of the land plot is required. Workers need to watch guard of the farm day and night on boat patrols, from the dangers of cockle spat thieves and smugglers.”
Selangor spat is the best in quality. 1 tin of spat costs RM500-600. Usually two tins costing RM1000 are used for 150 acres. 1 tin weighing 1 kg has about 30000 spats. During harvesting, 1 kg will consist of 100 adult cockles and is sold at market price.
Working for 1-2 hours in the morning will get you 10-15 sacks of cockles each weighing 70kg. an estimate of 25% dead harvest are then sorted out. This amount is already less than what Kahar said when interviewed in 2012 (Lim, 2014).
This is less lucrative than fisheries. In fact, many cockle farmers in Kuala Selangor no longer invest in the industry, instead they transition into restaurant owners that are more lucrative.
Is the use of this resource sustainable?
Blood cockles are a sustainable resource for these reasons.
- Cockle aquaculture diversifies traditional fishermen’s income, particularly in the cockle-producing west coast states of Peninsular Malaysia.
- Cockles are filter feeders, they help eat up decaying matter in the ocean floor, improving the water quality of inter-tidal and estuarine ecosystems.
- As bio-indicators, their presence indicates a healthy ecosystem.
- Cockle aquaculture does no damage to the landscape.
- Since they are the naturally dominating population in mudflats, large scale introduction of cockles in the environment does not cause fatal food chain disturbances.
What can we do to save the ‘hum’?
When asked, Kahar voice was very distraught and desperate:
“MNS came on 29/3/2019 to check on the pollution, they just shook their heads helplessly, as nothing can be done to repair the damage done.”
Buntal Kahar, 2019
Kahar has voiced out on many news media, including TV3 and numerous newspapers. Moreover, studies by JIRCA and UM were done, but all to no avail. Before leaving, I was given a task and a plea to uncover the worsening situation that is pollution that may one day rob Kahar and his family of their main income.
Pollution is the major cause for production loss, which then causes overharvesting and smuggling. The hard work behind the tasty shellfish deters many young people from the industry.
We must take up responsibility to clean up the ocean and encourage young people to work in cockle aquaculture. Any sightings of pollution must also be reported. Action must be taken from all sides and by everyone to save our missing ‘hum’.
Recent clean-up efforts in Pulau Ketam.
References
Cemacs.usm.my. (2018). Why cockles are becoming costlier and harder to find. [online] Available at: https://cemacs.usm.my/index.php/ms/15-aktiviti/95-why-cockles-are-becoming-costlier-and-harder-to-find.
Fao.org. (2019). FAO Fisheries & Aquaculture – Aquatic species. [online] Available at: http://www.fao.org/fishery/species/3503/en.
Dof.gov.my. (2019). Annual Fisheries Statistics 2006-2017. [online] Available at: https://www.dof.gov.my/index.php/pages/view/82.
Buntal, K. (2019). On the Cockle Industry.
Lim, C. (2014). Our blood cockles are dying. Can we stop the killing? – Environment | The Star Online. [online] Thestar.com.my. Available at: https://www.thestar.com.my/news/environment/2014/08/11/our-blood-cockles-are-dying-can-we-stop-the-killing/.
Selangor Cockle Culture Project. (2019). Portal Rasmi Jabatan Perikanan Malaysia. [online] Available at: https://www.dof.gov.my/index.php/pages/view/1763.
Tridge. (2019). Cockle global production and top producing countries – Tridge. [online] Available at: https://www.tridge.com/intelligences/blood-cockle1/production.
Yurimoto, T., Mohd Kassim, F., Fuseya, R. and Man, A. (2014). Mass mortality event of the blood cockle, Anadara granosa, in aquaculture ground along Selangor coast, Peninsular Malaysia. International Aquatic Research, 6(4), pp.177-186.
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