HUNTING for mud crab requires special skills because of the way they would camouflage themselves beneath the muddy shorelines and under mangroves.
And these skills are what Kwaimani Diko from a village in the Lau-MBaelelea Constituency in Malaita Province.
Meet the 33-year-old man who has carved out a unique livelihood from hunting mud crabs in the pristine waters of the Western Province.
I managed to meet Diko in Gizo last weekend and hear from him how he has been making a living out of mud crab hunting.
Now residing at Kongu settlement outside the Gizo township, Diko offered me a glimpse into the challenges and rewards of his extraordinary occupation.
Diko’s wife is from the Western Province and they have four children. He met his wife in Gizo many years back and they settled at Kongu since they got married.
Diko’s journey as a mud crab hunter began just before the devastating 2007 tsunami and earthquake struck parts of the Choiseul and Western provinces, including Gizo.
The population of Kongu are predominantly Malaitans who got married to women from Western Province.
Faced with unemployment, Diko and his wife found themselves grappling with the harsh realities of life.
Diko’s wife ventured into small-scale gardening, but the income from her efforts was not enough to meet her family needs prompting Diko to look for an alternative source for their family sustenance.
After looking around for an income- opportunity, Diko found a mud crab niche market that would sustain his family. His livelihood and income depended on a network of local resorts, including the popular Fatboys Resort, Sanbis Resort and Imagination Island Resort.
So, his daily task ever since was hunting for mud crabs and ensuring a constant supply to these resorts.
Speaking to Solomon Star, Diko said as a Malaitan man, he believes that men, especially fathers, must work hard to fend for their families.
“Hustling runs through our blood and we cannot deny it,” he added.
Diko is happy with the income from his mud crab hunting effort as it is enough to sustain himself and his family.
“I can earn around $1500 or more from a single order, which typically includes up to 15 mud crabs. Compared to the open market where I sell my crabs individually, a single crab can fetch me as much as $40, depending on the size. Larger crabs can fetch prices ranging from $80 to $100,” Diko explained.
“On a regular market day, I can make around $500 to $900 by selling crabs individually or in bags. When it comes to resort orders, the timing is crucial,” he added.
Diko emphasised that successful crab hunting depends on sea tides.
“During high tide, the crabs would venture closer to the mangroves in search of food, making them easier to spot and catch.
“As soon as I spot a crab, I quickly snatch it. This is a regular part of hunting mud crabs during high tide.”
During low tide Diko faces his most challenging moments in mud crab hunting.
He described how the crabs would bury themselves in the sand under water with only their eyes exposed.
“This is one of the challenges I face when locating crabs. Only their eyes will pop out in the sea, while the rest of their bodies remain concealed beneath the sand.
“But I’ve grown accustomed to their behaviour because diving for mud crabs has become my daily routine and the cornerstone of my livelihood,” Diko added.
Diko’s earnings are dedicated entirely to his family’s wellbeing – their basic needs to school fees for his children.
Despite the high cost of living, Diko is satisfied with his mud crab earnings which he describes as sufficient to sustain him and his family.
As the sun sets over the tranquil waters of Gizo, Diko’s story serves as a testament to human resilience and the unwavering determination to provide for loved ones in the face of adversity.
By ULUTAH GINA
Solomon Star, Gizo
