Shell diggers threaten mangrove area

A three-hectare mangrove area in barangay Buagsong, Cordova town is facing a new threat – fishermen digging dead white bubble shells locally known as “kyu-os,” which they would sell to shellcraft exporters.

Fishermen, mostly from another barangay, had devastated the mangrove area as they search and dig, and sift through the sand looking for “kyu-os,” said Eugenio Ventura, barangay councilor of Buagsong yesterday.

The diggings has formed little islets in the protected mangrove area affecting the mangroves there, said Ventura.

He said several fishermen had turned to digging Kyu-os for their livelihood especially since the dead shells could be sold to a shellcraft exporter in the Poblacion area from P22 to P30 a kilo.

Ventura said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources can’t prevent the exporter from buying the shells since these aren’t in the endangered specie list.

Ventura said local fishermen tried to drive away the Kyu-os diggers from the protected area but they would come back during the night time when no one would be watching.

Arnulfo Degamo of barangay Poblacion said he shifted to digging shells from fishing since early 2000 because of the scarcity of fish there.

He said he started digging in Camolinas and moved to barangay Buagsong after learning the shells could also be found there.

He said he could get an average of 20 kilos of shells a day and earn at least P1,000 daily.

“Kung manguha sad mi og isda did-an sad mi (If we fish, we are also not allowed to fish there),” said Degamo, who claimed that he used to fish using chemicals such as “Koskos” and chlorine.

Ventura reminded Degamo that using chemicals to fish was illegal.

Rose Saya-ang of DENR said she would talk with Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy to discuss the fishermen’s proposal to allow them to dig in selected areas.

Ventura said he would also meet with a local fishermen’s cooperative to help them keep a close watch of the area from shell diggers. Norman V. Mendoza, Correspondent