Green mussels are available all year round, but people in Khanh Binh Tay Bac commune, Tran Van Thoi district (Ca Mau province), meet in groups when the wind blows south, as that is the best time to forage for mussels.

Green mussels are natural aquatic products. In the past, the people in Ca Mau considered them as a dish for family meals but now they have become a specialty, selling well at markets.

People in Tran Van Thoi said this bivalve mollusk appears when the wind blows south as the clean and clear sea water allows green mussels to grow.

According to people who specialize in mussel foraging, from October of last year's lunar calendar to June of next year's lunar calendar is the time when mussels are the most abundant and delicious.

"Green mussels spawn in the 10th lunar month, so this is also the time when they live a lot by the coast, so hunting at this time will yield a big harvest," said Nguyen Quoc Tinh (who lives in Khanh Binh Tay Bac commune).
 

Nguyen Quoc Tinh has spent more than 10 years catching green mussels in Tran Van Thoi district. “People here often go to catch green mussels early in the morning when the tide is low and stop when the water rises, usually in the middle of the afternoon every day. Green mussels live about 3m below the water level, "said Tinh.

Tinh explained the behavior of green mussels is to stick together in bunches, then pin each other on tree poles and stone pillars.

In the alluvial sea, green mussels live mainly on tree stakes placed by local people.

While diving, Tinh dug his hands into the reef, and every few minutes he picked up tufts of mussels clinging to each other.

"Green mussels are abundant in the wild, but they cling very tightly to tree pillars and stone pillars. People who are good at catching them can get a few dozen kilograms or even hundreds of kilograms in a few hours," Tinh added.

Le Ut Nhi, who has more than 15 years of experience, said that the job is not too stressful, but soaking in the water for hours can lead to catching a cold and getting cut by sharp objects.

Large green mussels are usually about 20 pieces/kg, selling for 30-40 thousand VND. Every month, he goes on several trips, and can earn more than 10 million VND/month. According to Ut Nhi, usually people only catch big green mussels, and then release small ones for them to grow. 

Not only green mussels but also oysters are harvested. Nguyen Bao Quoc said that oysters are very simple to chisel and are "opened" to bask in the sun at low tide.

"Just like that, I choose the biggest ones and then use a knife and chisel to separate the oysters from the rock. After that, peel the shell to remove the intestines, or leave the whole one," Quoc said, adding that it requires technique and experience to be a diver as it is easy to get cut by the sharp oyster shells.

"Due to the low tide in the sea, oysters live in deep water, so miners have to dive and immerse themselves in the water to be able to forage them," Quoc said.

Quoc said that traders will buy all the green mussels and oysters caught. "Thanks to the profession of catching green mussels and oysters, people here have a fairly stable income, especially for households without land," Quoc said.

Green mussels and oysters can be prepared in many ways, such as grilled with onion or steamed.

Hoai Thanh