Oyster Harvesting Sample Clauses

Oyster Harvesting. ‌ Different methods of harvesting are employed by the women. Presently, there are two distinct tools used for oyster harvesting. These are the cutlass and a small axe. The axe is used to extract the oyster from the prop roots of the mangrove. The axe is more selective than the cutlass. The axe selects the oyster one by one, removing the mature oysters and leaving the small ones to grow. The cutlass on the other hand peels the oyster from the roots of the mangrove scraping the bark of the roots and usually leaving a scar on the roots. The women use un-motorized canoes and paddle from their bases to the harvesting sites. The canoes are simple dug-outs that are mostly 3-4 metres in length and can carry only one or two people. The harvesting tools, water and food are placed onboard the canoe on departure to the harvesting sites. They set out to the harvesting sites at low tide when the oysters are exposed for harvesting and return to the landing sites when the tide is high. During high tide, the oysters are submerged and cannot be harvested. The vast majority of the women do not have their own canoes and there are a few canoes in each community, not enough for all to use at one time. As was the case before the introduction of the canoe, some of the women are still walking on foot to the oyster harvesting sites at low tide. The women walk considerable distances on foot in the mangroves to harvest oysters. They remove the oysters from the mangrove prop roots while standing in water at low tide. They carry either a bag or basket for loading the oysters after harvesting and return to their landing sites before high tide sets in, with their head loads of oyster in bags or baskets.