Mangrove Madness

Well we are fully underway with our newest endeavor. The Mangrove Project, the goal of which is to determine the success of conservation areas in Airai. We are looking at tree biodiversity as well as crab, and clam populations. A large part of the project is tagging and releasing mangrove crabs. Therefore, we have become full time crab fishermen. However, there is one catch we do not get to keep our catch. This is the worst part. We are catching tagging and releasing what would be a delicious dinner. This is a very hard thing to do as our mouths are watering as we release some of the crabs back into the water. It is difficult work especially because we do not get to reap the rewards. We have 36 traps spread over 4 different conservation areas throughout Airai in; Negeruluobel, Ngerusar, Oikull, and Ngchesang. We also plan on doing 36 circular plots 12 meter in diameter.

Me and Ann plotting on the forgiving mangrove terrain

We are Looking at the difference in vegetation on the outside, middle, and inside of the mangrove forest. However, so far we have been focusing on the crabbing.

The past 3 or so weeks have been an introduction to crab fishing for all of us. Obak are captain navigates his boat delicately through the Taoch, cut channels through the mangroves.

One of the larger Taoch 15-20 ft across

Ann the first mate and recorder franticly scribbles data. I am the master-baiter, as well as crab handler and tagger. However, we did not simply undertake this crabbing on our own. We have enlisted a retired crabber Jack who has taught us some of the tricks of the trade. We have also spent time interviewing crab fishermen, as well as explaining our project.

We interviewed Cisco Obak Tow. With Ann Kitalong interviewing, and Clarence Kitalong Translating, and me as photographer. Cisco is now 54 years old, and as I said he had been crabbing since he was 18 when he learned from his father. He has around 125 traps set out in Ngchesechang, and Oikull that he baits and checks every day. From those traps he can catch 4 to 10 harvest-able crabs a day. This means that the crabs carapace is greater than 6 inches. Each month he can catch around 100 harvest-able crabs which he sells for 5 dollars a pound. When asked if he has seen any changes he says that the crabs have gotten smaller and fewer. He explains that his trade is becoming lost because there are too few crabs. It is easier for people to make money by growing betelnut (Tet in Palauan). He explains that there are crab fishermen that are taking crabs that are too small and believes that is why there is a problem. The interview was very interesting and the Obak was very knowledgeable of the crabs. He gave us a few pointers and we headed to check our traps.

This is how it works. The idea of a crab trap is very simple. It is a chicken wire trap with a tunnel door that gets smaller as it goes in. The crab can fit through the hole to get in but can not get back out. You use wire to secure chicken to the inside of the trap to attract the crab. There is a trap door at the back of the trap that is tied shut which we untie to remove the crab. Once they are out there is still another problem. Now you have a large crab with claws that would break your finger that you have to weigh, measure, and tag. Furthermore, they are not cooperative but once tied they are pretty easy to deal with. After a few days of crabbing I have become quite comfortable, and skilled if I may say so myself at tying, tagging, and releasing.

My tying and Obak baiting

It is quite easy actually you just step on their head pushing their claws against the ground rendering them useless. Then you take a piece of rubber band and stick it in their claw they clamp down. You then wrap the band around their body tie a knot and presto one claw is tied then you just repeat on the other side. Always be sure to use protection when handling mangrove crabs, rubbers work the best. After this the crab is weighed and measured which is simple, and then tagged. The tagging is actually quite easy we have a gun with a small needle. You poke it just under their carapace on their backside and squeeze the trigger.

Met tagging with assistance from a Rubak

The gun inserts a small T tag like a shirt into the crab the part that hangs out has our name and phone number on it.

Crab with Tag

This way if someone else catches the crab they can call us and let us know where, when, and its size. It is really a very simple task once you get the hang of it, and you commit to possibly losing a finger or two you have 10 anyway. Obak was telling me to be careful because if the crab bits your finger you will yell and jerk your arm away. However, the crab will not let go its arm will break from its body but the claw will still be there attached to your finger.

Me with a giant mangrove tagged and ready for processing

Thus far we have tagged and released 102 crabs with a good amount of recaptures (the dumb ones). I told Ann we would be doing the crab population a service by eating these ones because they are going to weaken the gene pool, but she did not buy it. Our biggest male crab weighed in at 4 and ½ pounds, and our biggest female was 2.53 lbs. We have gotten 15 crabs from Ngeruluobel, 28 from Ngerusar, 23 from Oikull, and 17 from Ngchesechang. This is what Ann was expecting. Ngerusar is the only no take area. The other areas are conservation, but people can take crab for non commercial purposes. The ration of Males to females is 80% to 20% lucky girls. The work is very interesting and we are acquiring a lot of data. The work is also very hard so we are taking a few days off this week.

Sometimes we catch some fish eating our bait and other small crabs. In one of our traps we caught a Juvenile bull shark around 3 feet in length. The other day we saw a crocodile in the river 8 to 10 feet in length. This is comforting considering we are doing tree plots in the mangroves. Meaning we have to get out of the boat. The crabbing has been going well and we are all beginning to get the hang of it. Obak is able to find all our traps, Ann is deliberately taking notes, and I have learned how to handle crabs from Jack. If you watched us one might think that we actually know what we are doing.

Having a few days off I decided to go Diving. We did two dives at Clarence Wall and Blue Corner. Clarence wall was a nice healthy reef wall with beautiful corals. One of the nicer parts was that there were turtles everywhere. We must have seen about 15 turtles on a single dive. When we got to the end of the dive there were a few sharks. However, the next dive was blue corner I have mentioned this before as one of the most famous dive sites in the world. It is quite the rush. When you dive blue corner you want a current. It brings in the fish and sharks and it is different every time. The best part about blue corner is hooking in. You start on the wall then you drift over the top of the corner which shoots out into the blue ocean. Once on top you take your reef hook, a hook with a rope attached and a clip on the other end. You hook to the substrate and attach the other end to your BC. Then you add some air to your BC so you float up and watch the show.

Diver hooked in a Blue Corner

If you ever wondered what it is like to be a kite this is it. Attached to the reef the current moves you up and down and left and right giving you a sense of gliding. The sharks and fish are doing the same riding the current. Sharks cruise by getting slightly closer with each pass. If the conditions are good you stay there for about a half hour. Watching the impressive show that nature puts on here. It is always a nice way to spend a Sunday. Well that is all for now I hope you all enjoyed.

Oh yea I almost forget on to celebrate Halloween we ate fruitbat for lunch it was good. it is boiled whole fur and everything, and when eaten the only thing left are the bones. Everything is eaten. The brain, tongue, guts, wings, and all the meat. It really was quite good once you got over the appearance.

YUMMY