Kochi: Clam collectors in Ernakulam and Alappuzha districts find it difficult to sustain their families as their traditional occupation is under threat after the floods.There has been a drastic reduction in clams found in Vemaband Lake in the last month alone. It is the main source of income for 5,000 fishers.The black clam is an important fishery resource in Vemband Lake, contributing to a total of 70% of fisheries production from the lake region.The recent floods have changed the entire scenario and has led to a livelihood crisis for the clam collectors. According to the fishing community here, the increase in silt deposit has changed the underwater terrain of clam beds in the lake.“As per our preliminary investigation and information sourced from fisher-folk, there is an average increase in silt by two to three inches in the lake, destroying the clam habitat,” said T D Jojo, project co-ordinator of Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), an NGO which conducts research work on marine bio-diversity in the Vembanad Lake.K P Manoharan, a clam collector who has been engaged in the job for the past 30 years and a member of Samyuktha Vembanad Kayal Samrakshana Samithi, said that the clam catch has declined by 40-50%.“Prior to the floods, the average catch per person was about 10kg daily, which is now reduced to five to six kg,” said Manoharan.“The reduction in catch has led to livelihood crisis and uncertainty, adding to the woes of clam collectors. A detailed study needs to be conducted to analyse the extent of damage to clam beds,” said Ashish Mathew George, programme officer, ATREE.The clam co-operative societies said that they need urgent financial help from the government to distribute interest-free loans to their members so that they can overcome the existing crisis.“In order to boost clam production, it would be ideal to keep the Thannermukkom Barrage open or reduce the duration of its closure this year. Another successful method to increase clam production is to introduce more baby clams in affected regions,” Jojo said.

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