The transport of 101 giant clams (Tridacna gigas), or “Taklobo” in the vernacular from Bolinao, Pangasinan, aboard a transport plane, is seen to develop the province’s bio diversity, thereby repopulating the dwindling fish population. Their arrival here Wednesday at the city airport from on board a C-130 plane was welcomed by fishery stakeholders.   Gov. Edgar M. Chatto procured the invertebrates from Bolinao, Pangasinan province for bio-diversity purposes and even for food and tourism according to Provincial Agriculturist Liza M. Quirog, head of the social economic environmental management (SEEM) cluster of the Governor’s Office.  Quirog and other officials --- Col. Julius Tomines, Special Forces commanding officer and Col. Dollino of the 802nd Brigade of the AFP and other agencies --- led in supervising the safe shipment, loading and unloading of the giant clams to a marine protected area (MPA) in barangay Bingag, in Dauis, upon their arrival at the airport.

Because of their fragile nature that experts said it is but risky that they should not be wet with fresh water or rain, they had to be wrapped and placed in a styro-foam box supported by a wooden crate prior to their loading in the plane.  The clams must be transported within the span of 10 hours from the time they’re harvested, experts said, adding they have to be submerged with salt water always while transporting. Any lapse of this allotted time would mean the clams would be in danger zone.  At least four big motorized boats courtesy of the Elzon Fishing Group, Holger Horn of Alona beach, and BFAR were loaded with the species and transported to their new-found home to acclimatize, said Villa Inguito, a graduate of marine of biology who took care of the molluscs while in transit.  The clam seeding here in about ten feet underwater in their new-found habitat was successful with no mortality, said Inguito, saying that monitoring is also to be conducted day in and day out from hereon for their survival.

Clam culture

There have been attempts to cultivate or propagate the invertebrates in previous years in different areas of the province but somehow failed, said the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).  For instance, it said, the giant clams were once nurtured in President Carlos P. Garcia island town years back but faltered later on. BFAR believed they were harvested for food even before they’re mature enough.  Some coastal areas in the province have their own “endemic” clam species but no clear inventory has been known, said the BFAR.  In Panggangan island, Calape town, where the BFAR maintains a facility for abalone and other fishery development and research purposes, there still are giant clams but slowly are harvested for food.  Quirog  said the provincial government is very grateful to all those who made history especially in delicately transporting the giant clams. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) provincial office, Bureau of Fishery and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Bohol Environment Management Office (BEMO), the Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Information Agency (PIA), Philippine National Police Bohol office, the people’s organization of barangay Bingag, volunteers and the media also participated in the project.

Benefits

If the Chinese tradition is to be believed, clams are said to be aphrodisiacs but some used them for food and medicines. But there have been no accurate scientific proof of these yet.  More than this, is that the invertebrates provide “biological benefits as well as biological diversity” and offers beauty because of their variety of colors if given proper lighting, water movement, trace elements and their placement, experts said.  Quirog said that Gov. Chatto has committed to preserve nature with the giant clam seeding project in this town.  The project also aims to further enrich the already diverse marine life in different MPAs by putting the clams back into the water to re-populate. This way, Quirog said, the clams will be able to spawn and release sperm for their re-population, she said. It was learned that giant clam re-seeding takes a couple of years depending on its varieties to make reproduction to take effect.

Camiguin experience

The provincial government has been studying the giant clam development project in coastal sitio Kibili, barangay Cantaan, Guinsiliban town, Camiguin province, said Quirog. In a recent ocular visit of the place, it was learned that six of nine species the country has been kept and nurtured and managed by the Cantaan Multi-purpose Cooperative as a community-based endeavour or preserving of what is left in its midst, said Alona Cordero, chairperson of the cooperative in an interview.  The species in Camiguin were also sourced out from Pangasinan, Cordereo said. She said they take pride that they have their native species, a one-meter mature Tridacna gigas. It is one of the attractions of some 2,000 breathing bivalves visited by mostly foreign tourists who paid certain amount to snorkel and see the underwater giants with a guide.

Gathering, culture and exportation of these clams without permit is penalized under Sec. 16, Fishery Administrative Order No. 168, series of 1990 pursuant to the Presidential Decree 704, known as Fisheries Decree of 1975.  “Any violation of this order shall subject the offender to a fine of not less than five hundred (P500.00) pesos nor more than five thousand (P5,000.00) pesos or imprisonment from six (6) months to four years, or both such fine and imprisonment in the discretion of the court: Provided, That the Regional Director is hereby empowered to impose upon the offender an administrative fine of not more than five thousand (P5,000.00) pesos and/or cancel the permit or license, when applicable, and to confiscate the shelled molluscs including the clam meat thereof, if any,” the order provides. (RVO)