Patterns and Correlates of Shellfish Exploitation by Costal People in Transkei: An Enigma of Protein Production

Abstract

(1) An aerial survey of use of the Transkei coast by shellfish collectors was made during low spring tides in November 1986. (2) Intensity of collecting activity in the intertidal zone was correlated with human population density, and length of rocky shore, and was influenced by geographical region and geology, but not by livestock densities. (3) Annual shellfish removal averaged 5573 kg whole wet mass km-l of rocky shore between the Kei River and Port St Johns, compared with 33 kg kmto the east of Port St Johns. (4) Cattle, sheep and goats are not used by rural people of Transkei for meat production, although pigs and poultry are consumed regularly. In the south of Transkei, the potential production of domestic animal protein from cattle, sheep and goats, alone, exceeds the annual requirement per adult person by c. 20%. In the central region, shellfish supply 8% of the annual protein requirement, and animal husbandry would satisfy only another 48 %. Shellfish populations in the central region are thus (a) under greater pressure from collectors than shellfish elsewhere and (b) more important for nutrition of coastal people than shellfish elsewhere. In the region north-east of Port St Johns, shellfish are relatively unimportant in the diet, supplying only 0 1% of the annual protein requirement. (5) Coastal conservation measures, both short and long-term are of greatest importance in the central region, and active management of exploitation of the shellfish resource of this region of Transkei is urgently required. In this region there is only one small nature reserve.