Rahul, Thanks for doing that.
Aaron: If you have another article that illustrates the need to preserve what might be called 'the oyster commons', please send it. Guy *Dr Guy Standing FAcSS* *Professorial Research Associate* *SOAS U**niversity of London* *Hon.Co-President, Basic Income Earth Network <https://basicincome.org>(BIEN)* *Indian basic income pilot video <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvErJvuWrWc>* *Why everyone deserves a basic income video <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3edptV9C4ko>* *Mob: +41 (0)79 647 6379* *Email: guystand...@standingnet.com <guystand...@standingnet.com>* *Website: www.guystanding.com <http://www.guystanding.com/>* *Facebook: www.facebook.com/ThePrecariat <http://www.facebook.com/ThePrecariat>* *Latest books: Battling Eight Giants: Basic Income Now <https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/battling-eight-giants-9780755600656/> (Bloomsbury, 2020); Plunder of the Commons: A Manifesto for Sharing Public Wealth <https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/308/308407/plunder-of-the-commons/9780141990620.html> (Penguin, 2019); *Basic Income: And How We Can Make It Happen <https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/304706/basic-income/> (Penguin, 2017); *The Corruption of Capitalism: Why Rentiers Thrive and Work Does Not Pay <https://www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/the-corruption-of-capitalism> (Biteback, 2016) * On Tue, 9 Jun 2020 at 08:30, Rahul Basu <rahulba...@gmail.com> wrote: > I've copied Aaron and Frederick, and taken the entire Goanet list from the > chain. > > Aaron has written a few pieces earlier, as evocative. > > Rahul > Today is the first day of the rest of your life ! > > > On Tue, Jun 9, 2020 at 11:47 AM Guy Standing <guystand...@standingnet.com> > wrote: > >> Dear Frederick, >> >> This is a brilliant article. Please congratulate the author. We will be >> citing it in our book on the blue commons. >> >> Embedded in the analysis are some powerful lessons for the revival of the >> blue commons. >> >> Go well. Guy Standing >> >> *Dr Guy Standing FAcSS* >> *Professorial Research Associate* >> *SOAS U**niversity of London* >> >> >> *Hon.Co-President, Basic Income Earth Network >> <https://basicincome.org>(BIEN)* >> >> *Indian basic income pilot video >> <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvErJvuWrWc>* >> >> *Why everyone deserves a basic income video >> <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3edptV9C4ko>* >> >> >> *Mob: +41 (0)79 647 6379* >> >> *Email: guystand...@standingnet.com <guystand...@standingnet.com>* >> >> *Website: www.guystanding.com <http://www.guystanding.com/>* >> >> *Facebook: www.facebook.com/ThePrecariat >> <http://www.facebook.com/ThePrecariat>* >> >> *Latest books: Battling Eight Giants: Basic Income Now >> <https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/battling-eight-giants-9780755600656/> >> (Bloomsbury, 2020); Plunder of the Commons: A Manifesto for Sharing Public >> Wealth >> <https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/308/308407/plunder-of-the-commons/9780141990620.html> >> (Penguin, 2019); *Basic Income: And How We Can Make It Happen >> <https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/304706/basic-income/> (Penguin, 2017); *The >> Corruption of Capitalism: Why Rentiers Thrive and Work Does Not Pay >> <https://www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/the-corruption-of-capitalism> >> (Biteback, 2016) * >> >> >> >> >> On Mon, 8 Jun 2020 at 22:05, Goanet Reader <goanetrea...@gmail.com> >> wrote: >> >>> The Unwritten Rules of Oyster Fishing >>> >>> By Aaron Lobo aaronlob...@gmail.com >>> WhatsApp +91 +91 83089 39019 >>> >>> For World Ocean Day, Aaron >>> Savio Lobo studies the >>> fascinating rules of oyster >>> fishing, and the surprising >>> role they play in creating a >>> more sustainable future. >>> >>> If there is one thing the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed, it >>> is our heavy reliance on the global food network and the ease >>> with which it can break down. It has also given us the >>> opportunity to reflect on how our food is produced, and the >>> cost (most often hidden) of its production. >>> >>> This is particularly true for the seafood sector which has >>> been globally marred by overfishing, human-rights violations >>> and the wanton destruction of marine ecosystems. Sourcing >>> locally has never been more important than it is today. >>> However, most of our local, traditional food systems will >>> struggle to meet the demand if not adequately strengthened >>> and incentivised. >>> >>> Summers in Goa are typically shellfish months -- a >>> time to enjoy the diversity of clam, mussels and >>> oysters, grown and matured to full size. As May >>> heats up and urraq (the lighter and fruitier >>> version of cashew feni) drinking is at its peak, I >>> especially look forward to eating calvam (oysters) >>> and shinaneo (green mussels). I must confess that >>> while I love the Goan style-rawa fried shinaneo I >>> am not a huge fan of Goan oyster bhaaji, which I >>> find to be overpowered by xacuti masala. I resort >>> to cooking oysters myself. >>> >>> Both oysters and mussels are available in plenty at the >>> numerous fish markets in the state during this season, but I >>> prefer to go straight to the source -- Pradip's home along the >>> Nerul creek. Pradip and his family have been harvesting >>> oysters for years now, and usually sell them at the Nerul >>> market, or near the bridge. >>> >>> PHOTO: Freshly shucked plump Brackish river oysters >>> >>> HARVESTING OYSTERS >>> >>> In Goa, while both men and women are involved in harvesting >>> oysters, there is typically a difference in the way they do >>> it. Women can be seen chipping for hooded oysters >>> (Saccostrea cucullata) with their sickles, on the exposed >>> rocky rubble at low tide; while the men paddle out in their >>> canoes with long bamboo poles, into the deeper waters of the >>> creek, inhabited by the large Brackish water oyster >>> (Magallana bilineata). >>> >>> They then push their poles into the creek's soft floor, which >>> supports them as they lower themselves several feet below, to >>> the bottom of the creek. Here, they sift through the soft >>> sediments with their hands, emerging every couple of minutes >>> with one or two large oysters. >>> >>> They use gloves to protect themselves from the razor-sharp >>> oyster shells, which are often further encrusted with other >>> oysters and barnacles. To make sure the oysters are alive >>> and full, they tap the shell on the sides of their canoes. A >>> hollow sound indicates they are dead and empty -- therefore, >>> to be discarded. >>> >>> They do occasionally bring up entire rocks -- an >>> oyster cluster! And if they get lucky, discarded >>> car tyres encrusted with 20 or more large oysters. >>> Paradoxically, this trash also serves as a >>> substrate onto which the oyster larvae attach >>> themselves and grow. >>> >>> Many of Goa's oyster collectors live in clustered hamlets of >>> brightly coloured houses along the banks of creeks and >>> backwaters. While men and women are both involved in the >>> collecting, it is generally the women that do the shucking >>> (removal of the oyster meat from the shell), cleaning and >>> discarding the shells just outside their homes, along the >>> banks of these creeks. >>> >>> During the summer months, piles of oyster shells are a >>> characteristic installation outside the homes of many of >>> these creek fishers, exposed at low tide. The tides later >>> disperse these empty shells back into the creek, where they >>> become an extremely important substrate onto which >>> free-swimming oyster larvae attach themselves, at which >>> stage, they are called 'spat'. >>> >>> Some of the large shells and oyster rock clusters >>> are known as 'mother shells' (Calvam Hadde in >>> Konkani, or Corpam for oyster shells). They are >>> critically important as they provide a larger >>> surface area onto which young oyster larvae can >>> attach and grow. As a rule, Goa's oyster fishers >>> would shuck these mother shells while they were out >>> collecting in their canoes, or as soon as they got >>> back to shore, to return the mother shells to the >>> environment. This helps sustain future production >>> of oysters in the area. >>> >>> However today, it is not just the people who live along the >>> creek that harvest oysters. Being a tourist state, oysters >>> and mussels are in very high demand, bringing collectors from >>> other parts of Goa in large numbers, to these oyster-rich >>> areas. >>> >>> A large part of the problem is that they take more than just >>> oysters. These tidal flats and the shellfish they support >>> are open access resources, which means anyone can harvest as >>> much as they want -- a common problem faced in coastal and >>> marine spaces that leads to overexploitation. >>> >>> To make transport easy, these collectors gather entire rocks, >>> complete with mother shells and all, which they then fill >>> into empty cement bags, transporting them back to their >>> respective villages, often in the hinterland with no access >>> to a creek or backwater. >>> >>> These missing dead shells would have performed yet another >>> important function. Built of calcium carbonate, the alkali >>> slowly leeches into the water, neutralising the acid levels >>> in the estuary. This is extremely important as acids in the >>> water can dissolve the shells of crustaceans and molluscs >>> (snails, clams and oysters) exposing them to the elements and >>> making them vulnerable to predators. Who would have imagined >>> the removal of oyster shells could be linked to a decline in >>> oyster production world over? >>> >>> For the same reason, reintroducing oyster shells >>> (shell planting) is a common method used to restore >>> degraded oyster beds. However today, our oceans >>> are becoming so acidic that even this practice is >>> not enough to restore balance. >>> >>> Ocean Acidification is the result of increasing levels of CO2 >>> in the atmosphere, primarily linked to the burning of fossil >>> fuels, which then dissolves in seawater. This acidification >>> threatens the lives of many of our seafood favourites >>> including lobster, crab, shrimp, oysters, clam and others -- >>> basically everything that has a shell. We now need these >>> shell resources in our oceans more than ever before. >>> >>> PHOTO: Men duck dive for the large Brackish water oysters in >>> the Nerul creek >>> >>> A SUSTAINABLE CHOICE >>> >>> Oysters collected and farmed the right way are a very >>> sustainable seafood option. They are lower down the food >>> chain and their populations can recover well, even after a >>> heavy collection, if allowed sufficient time. >>> >>> They also make good candidates for aquaculture. >>> They are filter feeders, which means they obtain >>> their food by sucking in large quantities of water >>> through their gills; algae and plankton suspended >>> in the water get trapped in their gill mucous, and >>> ultimately make their way into the digestive tract. >>> >>> Simply put, farmed oysters do not need to be fed, and can be >>> a low-cost enterprise. In contrast to this, the species >>> commonly farmed in India, such as shrimp and Asian sea bass, >>> have very high feed requirements. To grow a kilogram of >>> Asian sea bass you would require 6-7 kilograms of fish feed. >>> >>> Fish for this feed comes from ecologically >>> destructive trawl fisheries, and constitutes the >>> low-value species in the catch called 'trash fish'. >>> My research into this subject has found that >>> although 'trash fish' may not have high commercial >>> value, it constitutes a vast diversity of species >>> including juveniles of commercially important >>> species that are an important source of protein for >>> millions of poor coastal communities in India. >>> Aquaculture is currently being celebrated as the >>> solution to our future food requirements, and to >>> the overfishing crises. However, you don't need to >>> be a scientist to know that farming fish such as >>> sea bass, using current methods, is certainly not >>> the smart way forward. >>> >>> Whether it's oysters, mussels or clams, it seems that Goa >>> cannot keep pace with growing demands. Today, a large >>> proportion of mussels and clams consumed in the state's >>> restaurants and beach shacks have actually been brought in >>> from other states. >>> >>> CHICALIM, AND THE FIGHT TO RECLAIM GOA'S OYSTER BAY >>> >>> The large expansive bays of Sancoale and Chicalim along the >>> Zuari river are among Goa's shellfish hotspots. It almost >>> feels like the human relationship with this ecosystem has >>> remained unchanged for centuries; stake-nets still necklace >>> the mouths of these bays. >>> >>> In the summer, large numbers of people can be seen >>> collecting clams and oysters here. It is also one >>> of the few remaining habitats in Goa where you can >>> find window-pane oysters, whose shells continue to >>> adorn the windows of many Goan homes. >>> Unfortunately, this year's hot summer, coupled with >>> low spring tides, left the extensive tidal flats >>> and their oyster rocks exposed. People stuck at >>> home during the lockdown, from several villages >>> surrounding the bay, descended in hordes onto these >>> flats, stripping them of oysters. Rather than >>> leaving the mother shells behind, they carried away >>> sack loads of oysters shells. This was much to the >>> consternation of locals who feared for the future >>> of the oysters, and the bay's health in general. >>> >>> PHOTO: Oyster-encrusted rocks and a lone mangrove exposed at >>> low tide in Pallolem >>> >>> However, it would be unfair to attribute the decline of the >>> bay and the demise of oyster fisheries to over-harvesting >>> alone. Unused iron ore barges are anchored at various parts >>> along this river stretch. Exposed to the forces of nature, >>> they lie in a state of decay, leaching pollutants into the >>> estuary. >>> >>> The degradation of these bays will not only affect bivalve >>> habitats, but also species that use these sheltered areas as >>> feeding grounds and nurseries. Destruction of these >>> important estuarine habitats can ultimately translate to the >>> decline in quantity and quality of some of Goa's favourite >>> seafood. >>> >>> The brackish water oysters can live for several >>> years, and both the live oysters and their shells >>> are extremely important to the creek's health. The >>> high densities of molluscs found here perform a >>> massively undervalued service to Goa, which is >>> filtering the estuary of its pollutants and toxic >>> algal blooms (which happens when there are high >>> levels of domestic sewage in the water). These >>> blooms deplete the oxygen in the waters, and can >>> cause massive fish die-offs, threatening local >>> fisheries. >>> >>> The villagers of Chicalim and Sancoale have taken it upon >>> themselves to save their bay. For the first time this May, >>> several locals concerned about their bay's future went about >>> planting Calvam haddes. To stabilise these mother shells, >>> they covered them with nets, and monitor them regularly. We >>> still have a long way to go, but the current pandemic has >>> opened our eyes to the need to strengthen local food systems. >>> Much like the local shellfish food-chain, all local >>> production of foods needs to be analysed in a similar manner >>> to increase the resilience of supplies. >>> >>> So what is my alternative to Goa's oyster bhaaji? >>> >>> I reserve a batch of handpicked Nerul oysters, and use a >>> straightforward, delicious Thai recipe I learnt from my >>> uncle, Peter Estibeiro, who loves Thailand (and its oysters) >>> as much as I do. First, make sure your oven grill is hot (or >>> you can use a pan if you don't have a grill). For sauce, >>> chop up a few birds' eye chillies, onions and coriander, to >>> which you then add fish sauce and lime juice in equal parts. >>> Bake or lightly pan-fry the oysters for under five minutes, >>> to prevent them from turning chewy. Drizzle with sauce, and >>> serve. Peter recommends having a batch crispy-fried burnt >>> garlic on hand, to sprinkle on just before eating. >>> --------------------------------------- >>> Aaron Savio Lobo is a marine conservation scientist, and a >>> member of the IUCN SSC Marine Conservation Committee. You >>> can follow his work at the link below. >>> >>> All photographs by Aaron Savio Lobo >>> See images at >>> https://www.goyajournal.in/blog/the-unwritten-rules-of-oyster-fishing-goa >>> -- >>> Goanet Reader is edited and compiled by Frederick Noronha. >>> >>> Your writer has contributed this work gratis, in public >>> interest. Repay him with your comments, feedback and appreciation >>> (if deserved). Share your comments with him (address on top) >>> with a cc to goa...@goanet.org >>> >>