Coastal Aquaculture and Mariculture

Unit 7- Molluscan resources

7.1.3. Collection of chank egg capsules
Collection of chank egg capsules
The divers along the Thoothukudi coast also exploit the egg capsules together with chanks for selling them for medicinal purpose. They collect about 10-20 egg capsules in a day. This exploitation of egg capsules, every year'in large numbers affects recruitment and the renewal of the population. Conservation measures need to be taken to prevent removal of egg capsules
Edible gastropods
A few gastropod species are utilized as food by man. However, they are seldom sold in the markets for human consumption. The button-shell, Umbonium vestiarium is the only species that finds a place in fish-stalls in Malwan in Maharashtra. The important species of edible gastropods of Indian coasts are Cellana radiata, Trochus niloticus, Tradiatus, Umbonium vestiarium, Turbo marmoratus, T. intercostalis, Strombus conarium, Lambis lambis, Thais rudolphi, T. bufo, Oliva gibbosa and Xancus pyrum. Recently, whelks are exploited along the east and west coasts for export purpose. Babylonia spirata and B. zeylanica are the two species of whelks, which form bycatch of shrimp trawlers in Sakthikulangara-Neendakara area along the southwest coast of India and Annappanpettai near Parangipettai along the southeast coast. The opercula of these species having aphrodisiac qualities are exported to Gulf countries under the trade name "Fish nail'.