LANGKAWI, Aug 10 (Bernama) -- Beyond the popular “bronok” (sea cucumber), Pulau Tuba boasts another unique seafood delicacy that remains relatively unknown to many, the “gayam” snail.
The coastal snail is known for its sweet taste and meatier flesh compared with lala, commonly known in the northern region as siput retak seribu.
However, harvesting gayam snails is no easy task, as it requires diving skills and the ability to navigate strong sea currents without full scuba equipment.
Pulau Tuba resident and gayam snail harvester Rahman Ahmad, 49, said only about seven or eight people on the island possess the skills needed to harvest the snails.
“We usually hunt for these snails five days a week, following the low-tide schedule, particularly during ‘dead water’ periods when sea currents are weak. Fishermen dive two to three metres to the seabed, and the activity is stopped if the water is four metres deep.
“Gayam snails live buried about two inches beneath the seabed. Their location can be detected by jets of silt rising to the surface, after which we use a scoop to collect them. We also attach a piece of wood to a rope and hold onto it at the surface to prevent ourselves from being swept away by strong currents,” he told reporters here.
Rahman said fishermen have to make hundreds of dives to collect about 100 kilogrammes of snails within four hours.
“It is certainly exhausting, but I have become accustomed to it since I started harvesting these snails about four years ago with my wife and child.
“There are challenges, particularly the risk of being swept away by strong currents, but thankfully, nothing untoward has happened while we were harvesting the snails,” he said.
Meanwhile, his wife, Rubiha Abd Hamid, 48, said gayam snails are a seasonal delicacy, with the harvesting season typically running from July or August until December, particularly during low tide.
“After my husband scoops them from the seabed, I sift through the catch to separate the snails from sand and debris. We can harvest between 70 and 150 kilogrammes a day and sell them to villagers or middlemen in Langkawi for about RM5 per kilogramme,” she said.
She said gayam snail meat is sweeter and more substantial than lala and can be prepared in various ways, including curries, lemongrass-stir-fries, and fritters.
“We also run our own eatery, so visiting tourists can sample the delicious gayam snail there,” she added.
The family’s traditional foraging skills have also been passed down to their son, Mohd Akram, 11, who began accompanying his parents at age nine.
“I tag along on days when there is no school. I usually rake the beach sand with my feet, and when a snail surfaces, I pick it up. It is a fun activity, and I get to learn more about foraging for these snails while helping my parents earn a living,” he said.
With its distinctive taste and the unique traditional harvesting method involved, the gayam snail has strong potential to become a gastronomic attraction for domestic and international tourists visiting Pulau Tuba.
-- BERNAMA