Searching for clams with all your might.

(Baonghean.vn)A few years ago, hundreds of households in the riverside area of ​​Nam Dan district lived comfortably thanks to the profession of collecting clams from the Lam River. However, in recent years, clams have become increasingly scarce, forcing many to abandon the profession...

The hamlet of Dong Van in Hung Tien commune, Nam Dan district, has long been known as the "clam hamlet." Of the more than 100 households, 70 relied on clam harvesting for their livelihood. Every day, the residents of this hamlet supplied the market with tons of clams. The clams from the Lam River were famously delicious, supplying markets throughout the area, even reaching Hanoi and Ha Tinh... However, that's a story of the past, because nowadays, clams are dwindling, and only about 5-7 households still make a living from clam harvesting.

The Lam River has dried up to its bottom, making it easier for locals to collect clams, but clams are becoming increasingly scarce.

Under the scorching sun, the Lam River was almost completely dry. Beneath the Ba-Ra bridge in Nam Dan, sisters Nguyen Thi Hoa and Nguyen Thi Hoai diligently picked clams into buckets. Their clothes soaked, their hands dark and calloused, Hoai explained that they had left home at 6 a.m. and spent the entire morning wading through the water, yet had only managed to gather less than 10 kilograms of clams. “Before, the Lam River was so full of clams. Every day my sister and I would collect five to seven 10 kilograms, and even then, we had to strain our eyes to find any,” Hoai confided.

Sharing the same sentiment as Ms. Hoai, many people in Dong Van hamlet have abandoned the profession. Some have become construction laborers, while those who are better off have invested in boats and nets to catch fish and shrimp on the Lam River. Mr. Le Hoan, a veteran in the profession, can only shake his head when mentioning clams: "Clam harvesting is a traditional profession passed down through generations. In the past, clams from the Lam River were very abundant.""There used to be so many clams, people rushed to catch them, it was such a joy. Now there are so few. Some days we only get a few kilograms, which doesn't even amount to 10,000 dong, and we're starting to feel discouraged. It's understandable that people are abandoning clam harvesting and doing other jobs."

The two sisters, Nguyen Thi Hoa and Nguyen Thi Hoai, spent the whole day digging and sifting but still hadn't managed to gather a full quintal of clams.

According to local clam gatherers on the Lam River, clam yields along the Nam Dan – Hung Nguyen section have decreased significantly in recent years. The reason is the excessive use of sand and gravel dredging machines. Clams thrive on the soft mud at the bottom of the river, but the constant stirring by the dredging machines deprives them of their habitat. Furthermore, clams have fetched high prices in recent years, leading to overfishing. Using thick iron traps, people indiscriminately catch clams, regardless of size, in a destructive manner.

The rampant sand and gravel extraction on the Lam River is leading to numerous environmental consequences. This is also a factor affecting the habitat of clams and several species of shrimp and fish. (Photo:)Nguyen Khoa

For a long time, clams from the Lam River have been a delicacy, featured in many refreshing dishes during the summer. However, with this kind of destructive fishing, in a few years, it will probably be difficult to find Lam River clams...

Hai Uyen - Nguyen Than