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A Giant Clam in the Cook Islands
Photo: Georgia Langdon
A Marine Scientist Urges Caution on Giant Clam Harvesting in the Cook Islands Island of Manuae in the
RNZ Pacific understands that about eight thousand clams will be harvested and transported to Rarotonga to be sold during the annual celebrations of the constitution.
The island, located 100 kilometers southeast of Aitutaki, is the last refuge. The Ministry of Marine Resources opposes the harvest, which was sanctioned by the Council of Aitutaki Island
The scientist, Charley Waters, spent some fifteen years to search for and restore giants.
Dr. Waters described giant clams as the "handy fruit of the ocean" and said it takes a long time to restore their numbers.
"I believe very strongly in what is called the" precautionary principle ", that is to say that people who take clams must demonstrate without reservation that what they do not harm the local ecosystem, "said Dr. Waters
. According to Charley Waters, giant clams play an important role in marine ecosystems and any harvest should be compensated by the rebuilding of their population.
Michael Lee, a member of the Aitutaki Conservation Trust, said that Manuae was only a small island and that the harvest would have an impact on its already depleted clam population.
"It takes years and years to grow up, I think they take seven or eight years to start spawning, so these clams that they take – they are spawning clams – and there are not a lot of clams out there now, "he said.
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