‘Clamming’ up to progress

CAMIGUIN ISLAND – It only took one village chief to mobilize the entire community to conserve and preserve the giant clams which are on the verge of extinction.

Rolando Cordero, the barangay captain of Cantaan, Guinsiliban in Camiguin Islands, collected some 50 giant clams from the deeps of Camiguin in 1994 after winning the Most Outstanding Fisherfolk award and embarked on its propagation in his area.

His purpose was to see for himself if the words of then Agriculture Secretary Roberto Sebastian, who gave him a book on giant clams after receiving his award, were true. Mang Rolando recalled that during the awarding ceremonies, Sebastian asked him if the species included in the book are found in his area, to which he quickly replied yes. The secretary told him that Kung may technology may pera dyan sa clam. Mababa ang mortality rate at hindi na kailangang gamitan ng feeds."

Upon reaching home, he collected the giant clams from the deep sea waters of Camiguin and brought them to the seashore where he constructed a new home for them. He wanted to find out if indeed the reproduction of the giant clams could give his village an alternative income. The fish catch was low due to illegal fishing. He knew that the only way he could help his community to offer them an alternative source of income while at the same time to protect and conserve the species.

Giant clams are included in the list of Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) that is why the government is exerting various efforts to conserve them. There are nine species of giant clams all over the world, seven of which are found in the Philippines. There are the Tridacna gigas which is the most endangered, T. maxima, T. crocea, T squamosa; T. derasa; Hippopus parcellanus and H. Hippous.

The entire flesh of the giant clam is edible, execept for the kidney’s while the shells are used for a variety of purposes like souvenir items in the tourist trade. These explains the disappearance of giant clams in the region.

Mang Rolando wanted the people to be educated about the giant clams and its status. He desired that his children and grandchildren will still be able to see and appreciate these marine resource even after his death. It’s the only legacy he could leave to his great-great grandchildren.

Mang Rolando constructed the clam’s new home where he could easily see them and monitor their progress. The purpose was to protect them from would be poachers. He feared that far away fishermen will take advantage of the presence of the clams in the seashore and may steal it. So he put it just 200 meters away from his home.

After constructing a pond, he started educating his family, his children and grandchildren about the clam. He told them that these precious species are now fast disappearing, thus the need to protect and conserve them. He taught them that collection and harvesting of clam from the deep or from its original habitat is prohibited.

Mang Rolando and his family took turns in watching the clams making sure that they are not disturbed in their new home. Later on the village became the living witness to what started out as a family business turning into the community’s business.

The fisherfolk organized themselves into a cooperative and Mang Rolando donated the giant clams in their care. Mang Rolando knew that if the cooperative will continue what he had started his village will be known and his efforts to conserve and protect the giant clams will not be in vain. Many people will become aware of the current situation of giant clams and they may be encouraged to help in its conservation and protection.

True enough, Mang Rolando’s dream started to become a reality. For in the years that followed, he saw a more enterprising village promoting the conservation of the giant clams. This paved the way for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to come into the picture.

The DENR went to Cantaan in February 2002, Guinsiliban, Camiguin and started asking about the project. They met with the members of the cooperative and asked them to prepare a proposal to be presented in an investment forum in Cagayan de Oro City for possible financing. DENR was convinced that the project of the local people will ensure the protection as well as conservation of the clams.

Seeing the opportunity to improve what the cooperative has started, DENR-CLASP awarded the Cantaan Centennial Multipurpose Cooperative Inc., (CCMC) the amount of P250,000 in financial aide for an area of 2,218 square meters in 2002.

The DENR taught them new technology and convinced them that clam culture can generate income for the organization as well as the community through eco-tourism and research purposes. They were trained on tour guiding and other activities related to the conservation of the giant clam.

DENR trained people to do the tagging and transporting of the delicate clams from one point to another. It also taught them to engage in other livelihood projects aside from eco-tourism, such as catering services. The cooperative was able to construct a building where several functions such as seminars could be held.

From the original 50 clams which was started by Mang Rolando, the cooperative now boasts of 1,200 heads of clams tagged in their second home and will be transported to the deeps when they reach maturity. The heads listed or tagged are those measuring eight inches and above. The cooperative is constantly checking on the progress of the giant clams in the cages. It is projecting an increase in the tagged giant clams as soon as the young one are old enough to withstand stress of tagging and transporting from its seashore nursery to seven feet deep cages where the clams will stay till they reach maturity. After maturity they will be transplanted again in another area to continue with their growth.

Alona Cordero, president of CCMC, said that the secret to their success is the discipline that the organization applies not only to visitors but also among themselves.

She said that they are very strict on visitors specially researchers who visit there area to study the giant clams. Strictly, "we observe a no video or still photography policy in the area."

"Visitors can look at the ocean nursery and appreciate the biology of the giant clams but they can not take pictures or video of it. We are also very careful in letting in researchers to protect our right," she added.

The youth were also organized to help in the promotion of the protection and conservation of the giant clam. They were trained on tour guiding and awareness campaign in their area as well as in nearby villages. They also formed the Barangay police who serve as bantay dagat that regularly patrols the whole fish sanctuary which was also established in 2002 through the Coastal Resources Management Project. Bantay dagats warn would-be poachers to stay away from the area.

Today, the local folks can now observe different type of shells, sea cucumber, sea urchins, sea anemone and other marine species in their ocean sanctuary.

The local folks are now aware of the importance of protecting the giant clam and its role as a whole in the marine ecosystems. The children are the first to warn visitors against collecting and gathering of the clam.

Cordero said, they observe that slowly marine life in the area is coming back. In fact they also planted corals in the area and these are now starting to grow.

Also, one can already observe the growing number of soft corals springing off from their sleepy bed.

The success of the giant clam culture in Camiguin is owed to the fact that the people themselves are exerting great efforts to protect and conserve the giant clams.

Indeed conservation lies not in the hands of the authorities but on the very people who live in the heart of the forest, the mountains and the coasts. (APS)