How brown mussels sustain livelihoods along Thiruvananthapuram’s coast

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A few minutes before nine in the morning, colourful catamarans streaked with blue, green and crimson glide into Vizhinjam fishing harbour, nearly 16 kilometres from Thiruvananthapuram city. Powered by motors or wooden oars, they carry wicker baskets piled with brown-shelled mussels, still speckled with dirt and barnacles.

As the boats reach the shore, the fisherfolk get to work. Two labourers carry each overflowing basket to the centre of the market, where the day’s catch is auctioned. Within seconds, bidding begins, with one lot eventually fetching ₹15,000.

Along Thiruvananthapuram’s rocky coast, mussel harvesting peaks between September and February. Fishers collect the shellfish between 6am and 10am, diving underwater with broad metal knives to pry them off rocks. Depending on the location, they either head out in boats or dive straight into the sea from the rocks.

Babu Sukumaran, 61, has been diving for mussels since he was 15. He emerges with a cloth sack of mussels tied around his waist. Up close, his body is covered in bleeding cuts. “Our bodies are filled with wounds. But these don’t hurt me, and they dry up quickly in the saline water,” he says.

According to Jasmine K, president of the Diving Workers Welfare Society, more than 280 people harvest and trade brown mussels in Vizhinjam alone. Divers also collect them from Kovalam, Azhimala, Poonthura and Muthalappozhi, among other coastal areas. But the work depends on the sea’s temperament. “Our job depends on how peaceful or turbulent the sea is. When the waves are high, we can’t go in,” says Balu Kovalam, a veteran diver with 20 years of experience. He earns ₹2,000 for collecting the shellfish.

“In Kerala, two types of mussels are found — green and brown,” says MK Anil, principal scientist at the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (ICAR-CMFRI) unit in Vizhinjam. Brown mussels (Perna indica or Perna perna) occur along the coast from Kollam district to Tiruchendur in Tamil Nadu, while green mussels (Perna viridis) are found elsewhere.

In Kannur, Kozhikode and Kasaragod, green mussels are cultivated in lakes because they can tolerate low-salinity water. “However, due to the rise in the construction of sea walls, we are witnessing a rise in green mussels in Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam,” says Anil, who has researched mussels for over a decade. The two varieties also differ in texture: brown mussels are soft and fleshy, while green mussels are firmer.

In Thiruvananthapuram, mussels have been largely part of the coastal diet. “Mussels steamed with sweet potatoes are a delicacy. They are also fried, roasted and made into thoran,” says Jasmine. In northern Kerala, where mussels are known as kadukka, they are extremely popular. One local favourite is arikadukka, a snack made by stuffing the shells with spiced rice-and-coconut dough and steaming them.

Anil says more people have begun including mussels in their diets in recent years, driving up prices. Mohammed Rafi, who has sourced, cleaned and supplied mussels to restaurants and individuals in the city for nine years, says roadside vendors are the biggest buyers at auctions, followed by seafood restaurants.

Nirmala, 59, buys three baskets of mussels for ₹12,500, which she plans to sell at Mangalathukonam market. “I sell 100 pieces for ₹1,000 or ₹1,200. We have people across ages purchasing it for that price,” she says.

Salim S, owner of Al-Monte’s restaurant at Vizhinjam, says, “The popularity of the ingredient has increased significantly due to social media hype. Currently, mussels fry and roast, priced at ₹250 and ₹300, respectively, are the popular choices. If customers specifically ask for a different preparation, we do it as requested. In Vizhinjam, mussels have been a household delicacy for a long time. But with the rise in demand, prices have also increased. The rain is another factor which affects its availability and price.”

According to Anil, mussel farming can be more profitable than rearing prawns or fish because mussels feed on phytoplankton — microscopic organisms that drift in water — and other organic matter, requiring little supervision. Recently, the ICAR-CMFR unit at Vizhinjam launched its first full-fledged open-sea mussel longline farming unit. “Our objective is two-fold: to produce more seeds and extend the cultivation into the sea. This farming method is practised in Europe and Australia, where mussels take two years to grow fully. Ours mature in six to eight months, because of the tropical temperatures. Earlier, we had tested a unit in Kanyakumari, which withstood the monsoon. We aim to deploy a few more units and ultimately train more fisherfolk,” says Anil. 

The growing demand raises questions about sustainable harvesting. The Diving Workers Welfare Society limits divers to two baskets per day and discourages harvesting young mussels. “If we allow them to grow, it improves our yield. What fills one basket can fill 10 baskets if we let them grow. It also helps us earn for a longer period,” says Jasmine.

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