Wading through the mud to "hunt for clams" in the mangrove forests of Vinh city

Quang An• April 21, 2021 15:38

(Baonghean.vn) - The mangrove forest in Hung Hoa commune, Vinh city is home to many aquatic species, of which clams are the most numerous. Taking advantage of the low tide, people go together to the forest to wade through the mud to hunt clams, bringing in a good income every day.

Clip: Quang An

Hung Hoa mangrove forest is a rich primeval forest. The forest has an area of about 63 hectares, the widest part is up to nearly 1 km wide, the narrowest part is about 300 m, stretching from the end of Hoa Lam hamlet (old) to the Nine-door culvert on the road along Lam River, is one of the highlights of Vinh suburbs. Photo: Sach Nguyen

Besides the function of protecting the dike system against saltwater intrusion, erosion, and natural disasters, Hung Hoa mangrove forest is also a rich forest with a diverse ecosystem, home to many delicious wild aquatic products such as shrimp, clams, fish, etc. Photo: Quang An

Taking advantage of the low tide every day, people in suburban communes of Vinh such as Hung Hoa, Hung Loc... often gather in groups to hunt clams, the aquatic species with the largest quantity in this mangrove forest. Photo: Quang An

Ms. Tran Thi Thuy, Hung Hoa commune (Vinh city) said: "The time to hunt for clams is often not fixed because it depends on the ebb and flow of the tide. Because you have to wade through mud, when hunting for clams, you must prepare full boots and protective gloves. When wading through mud, you must be careful because you can step on low-lying areas and cause subsidence..." Photo: Quang An

Mussels are quite similar to crabs, but have flowery bodies and hairy legs. They often live in brackish water. Mussel season usually starts from April to September every year. Photo: Quang An

The characteristic of clams is that the hotter the sun, the more clams come out to find food. But catching clams is not easy, because they are very fast, they run away as soon as there is a movement, so clam hunters must also be "quick-handed and quick-eyed" to be able to catch them. Photo: Quang An

On average, each person can catch 2-3kg of clams per session. With the current market price ranging from 70,000-80,000 VND/kg, clams can help people earn hundreds of thousands of VND per day, and are one of the sources of income that the mangrove forest brings to the people here. Photo: Quang An

According to Oriental medicine, clams have a salty taste, a fishy smell, and a cold nature, and are effective in replenishing blood and qi, healing tendons and bones, and clearing blood vessels. Clams are currently one of the specialties that are very popular in the market and can be processed into many delicious dishes such as stir-fried, fried, cooked in soup, and made into fish sauce... Photo: Quang An