Freshwater Clam Resource Assessment of the Ba River
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.******* * Integrated Coastal Fisheries Management Project Country Assignment Report FRESHWATER CLAM RESOURCE ASSESSMENT OF THE BA RIVER South Pacific Commission Noumea, New Caledonia Freshwater Clam Resource Assessment of the Ba River By Esaroma Ledua 1 Sione Vailala Matoto 1 Apisai Sesewa 2 Jovesa Korovulavula 2 1. South Pacific Commission, B.P.D5, Noumea, New Caledonia 2. Fisheries Division, P.O.Box 358, Suva, Fiji. September, 1996. 2 Executive Summary 1.0 Survey Methods The Ba river survey was conducted between June 7 - 29, 1996 and a combination of survey methods were used so that appropriate data could be collected within that short period of time. The biomass and density of the freshwater clam, Batissa violacea or known in Fijian as kai waidranu, were estimated by transects and quadrats. The estimate of the fishing effort exerted on the resource was determined through the use of creel survey techniques. Water quality data were obtained from the Drainage and Irrigation Department data base. The rainfall data were obtained from the Fiji Meteorological Department and the freshwater clam market data were obtained from the Fisheries Department data base. 2.0 Results The results of this survey showed that kai could be found between the lower end of Nailaga village and all the way up to the upper end of Kumukumu. It was discovered that rich kai beds occur between Station 4 (upper Nailaga) and Station 6 (Vaqia). The total distance of the kai bed was estimated to be approximately 17.8 kilometres in length. The total area of the kai bed was around 29,122,970 square metres. The overall mean density of kai for the Ba river was estimated to be 270.38 kai per square metre. The mean biomass was approximately 684.31 grams per square metre. The estimated total population of kai for the Ba river was 787,608,829. The estimated total biomass was 1,993,374.5 kilogram,, The annual average commercial catch estimated from the market data was approximately 124,511 kilogram. The total estimated catch for both subsistence and commercial fishing calculated from the results of the creel survey was 496,729 kilogram. Therefore commercial catch (kg) as a percentage of the standing stock will be approximately 6.24% only but for both commercial and subsistence would be 24.92%. The analysis of the kai size structure observed in this study, showed that 36.71 % of the samples were above 25 mm in shell length (market size). Considering this as a reflection of the size structure of the whole population, then 36.71% of the whole population would be 731,767.77 kilogram of kai, and this would the marketable volume of wild stock, available for harvest in the Ba river. 3.0 Conclusion The conclusion that was drawn from the results of this survey was that the kai stock in the Ba river was still in good shape and the current level of fishing is sustainable. 4.0 Management Recommendations 4.1 There is a need for Fiji Fisheries to gather information on catch and effort data. This is quite important in the understanding of the accurate amount of kai being harvested from the river annually. It was observed in this survey that the market data was insufficient and was only reporting about 25% of the total catch from the river. This work could be easily be carried out, utilising the existing RA&D staff at the Ba office. Sufficient data could be collected utilising just one person for only two days per month, to conduct the creel survey and the count the number of people fishing for kai along the Ba river. 4.2 The current dredging operation on the Ba river would definitely damage the rich kai beds. It was discovered during this survey that most of the kai live around shallow depth (<1.2metres) . The aim of the Drainage and Irrigation Department is to dredge or deepen shallow areas and that is where most of the kai were found especially juveniles. It is therefore suggested, that the Fisheries Division work closely with the Drainage and 3 Irrigation Department and to advise accordingly of necessary action to be taken so that rich kai beds are not severely damaged. An option would be to mark all rich kai beds properly and prohibit dredging in those areas. It was observed that kai were contagiously distributed, aggregated in just certain parts of the river which consisted of only a small portion of the river. Deepening of the other parts of the river should be sufficient to allow good water flow and boat navigation. Another option would be to restrict dredging to as close as possible to the centre of the river and prohibit dredging at distances of approximately 30 metres away from the low water mark on both banks, especially the lower reaches of the river. This would ensure the protection of the prime kai beds as well as avoid soil erosion on both banks. 4.3. It is recommended that the current fishing method be maintained and any form of mechanised fishing or the use of SCUBA gears to be totally banned. 4 Figure 1. Map of Viti Levu Fiji showing the river systems that support major kai (Batissa violacea) fisheries Key :££%&- rich kai zone limits of kai distribution Nasolo Ba bridge V BA RIVER Scale 1: 50,000 Mouth of Ba River Figure 2. Map of the main reach of the Ba River showing the study site, fishing grounds and the sampling locations 6 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Background of the Fishery The freshwater clam (Batissa violacea) called in Fijian kai waidranu, is an important item on the menu of many families in Fiji and may be purchased cheaply ($2/heap) in many of the local markets and at roadside stalls in the areas in which it is caught. The clam provides a source of protein on a subsistence basis but it is also the basis of a substantial commercial fishery operated mainly by Fijian women. It is the largest single domestic fishery in Fiji, producing approximately 1,300 metric tonnes annually (Richards, 1994), and the current value of the fishery is estimated to be around FJD$1 million. The animal is collected by groups of women wading in shallow water or diving from boats or rafts. Clams are located using hands and feet. Diving using diving glasses is rarely practised and kai fisher-women spent 2-4 hours per day harvesting and the next day selling. Catch per unit of effort varies from one river to the other. It has been reported that, catch per unit of effort on average is approximately 10 kg/person-hour (Anon., 1975; Richards, 1994). A fisher-women can earn up to FJ$30.00 per day from catching kai (Bibi, 1991). Kai is an excellent simple fishery as the animals survives well out of water without refrigeration and may be stored for despatch to market with minimal precautions for several days. In this case it is far superior to fin fish and prawns although its commercial value is far less than these. It is a normal practice in Fijian homes that kai is immersed in clean water for at least a day before they are being cooked and consumed. This is to allow kai to defecate whereby sand and mud is excreted from the gut. If these solid particles in the guts are not removed, kai is almost inedible. Fijians have practised this simple depuration method for generations. The Ba river contributes approximately 124 tonnes of kai annually, constituting about 9.5% of Fiji's total production. The majority of the commercial kai fishers in the Ba area comes from Nailaga, Votua and Nasolo villages. Subsistence fishers include both Indians and Fijians that are living within the Ba rural and town areas. Approximately 90% of the kai caught from the Ba river are sold at the Ba municipal market or roadside stalls at Nasolo and Nailaga villages. Although the Fiji Fisheries Division has very good data on the approximate quantities of kai harvested for commercial purpose each year and the amounts sold in each market but there is no systematic attempt to monitor the fishery, especially the volume used for subsistence purposes. The Fisheries Division believed that some of the areas are over-fished, for example the Ba river, but this could only be confirmed through survey, both by direct field observation and interviews of local people. At present there are still considerable gaps in our knowledge of its biology, abundance, distribution and growth rate of kai in Fijian rivers, despite the importance of this fishery. 1.2 Distribution and Biology Batissa violacea (kai) is a tropical freshwater corbiculid mollusc distributed throughout the western Pacific, i.e. Malaysia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, North-west Australia and various Pacific areas (Morton, 1989). In Fiji, kai is present on eight major rivers (Rewa, Ba, Nadi, Sigatoka, Navua, Korovou, Dreketi, Labasa and Waikoro) of the two main islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu (see figure 1). 7 Richards (1994) reported that Batissa larvae are partially incubated within the shell and are capable of only limited movements, so the influence of floods and tides on settlement is critical. This is contrary to Morton's (1989) report which described Batissa as dioecious and non-incubatory. Morton (1989) also reported of kai attaining a maximum shell length of 150mm, with numerous growth lines and probably long-lived. The growth rate of kai has been reported to be around 2 cm per year (Raj, 1981). The osmolarity and ionic composition of Batissa blood indicates recent colonisation of freshwater (Raj and Fergusson, 1980).