Beachcombing
Shrimp pit traps on Sri Lanka’s east coast
Fish, crabs, and shrimp provide the livelihood of small-scale and artisanal fishermen on the east coast of Sri Lanka. Due to specific local conditions, various fishing and gathering techniques have evolved, including the use of shrimp pit traps. Tidal situation…
Gathering of Venus clams by finger probing
Venus clams (Meretrix meretrix), correctly named ‘Asiatic hard clams’, are one of Thailand’s most sought-after clams for food. They occur both in the Gulf of Thailand and on the coasts of the Andaman Sea. Fully grown species are large; their…
Smoked oysters from the rocks
In the spring of 2025, I traveled to Western Australia to document local survival techniques used by Indigenous people. Across Australia, Indigenous groups are generally categorized into three main types: the so-called ‘Saltwater mobs,’ who live along the coast; the…
An oyster species growing on Mangrove trees
Mangrove oysters (Isognomon ephippium) are the species most commonly found growing on mangrove trees in Northern Australia. Its other common English name is ‘Saddle tree oyster.’ These oysters are one species eagerly collected and eaten by Bardi people at the…
Harvesting Shipworms in a Thai Mangrove Forest
Edible shipworms, in this case Bactronophorus thoracites, are also known as Naked clams, Priyang talay (เพรียงทะเล), and various other common names throughout the region where they occur. They bore into wood immersed in salt water and are a major hassle…
Collecting Pipi clams at Rawai Beach
Pipi clams (Donax deltoides) are also known as Surf clams, Sandy Donax, and a wide range of other common names. In Thailand, they can be found on most beaches in the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. They are…
Collecting Bibi worms on Koh Lanta
Bibi worms (Sipunculus nudus Linnaeus, 1776) belong to the Peanut worm phylum. They can be dug up at the intertidal zone of flat, sandy beaches on temperate and tropical beaches. These worms are primarily used as top fishing bait. At…
Catching Octopuses by Sea-Gypsies
Sea-Gypsies – Urak Lawoi, Moklen, and Moken – traditionally catch octopuses along the Andaman Sea’s rocky shores, which they call โวยวาย in the Thai language. Using a metal skewer and baited bamboo stick, they locate octopuses in holes with foam…
Catching Ghost crabs by digging
Ghost crabs (genus Ocypode) comprise 22 different species, and they are commonly also called `Sand crabs.` The scientific name Ocypode has Greek origin and means swift-footed. Ghost crabs are semi-terrestrial crabs that dig deep burrows in intertidal zones of sand. They…
Salt intake at seashore survival activities
The salt intake of a human in case of an actual survival situation or when living from the provisions of a shoreline by purpose is of utmost importance to its health. If too much salt is consumed, the body has…
Crab snares on tropical beaches of Southeast Asia
An advanced, industrially manufactured crab snare usually consists of a bait cage with about six wire snares around it. This setup is used on a fishing line and rod, or is just hung down from a boat to the sea…
Razor clams collection with quicklime
A mudflat full of razor clams ‘Don Hoi Lot’ is a mudflat in the Thai Province of Samut Songkhram with a size of about 15 km2 (about 9 square miles). ‘Don’ means ‘mudflat’ in English. ‘Hoi’ means ‘clam’, and ‘Hoi…
Mudskippers for food
In Thailand, four mudskipper species can be found. These are the Giant mudskipper (Periophthalmodon schlosseri), Blue-spotted mudskipper (Boleophthalmus boddarti), Gold-spotted mudskipper (Periophthalmus chrysospilos) and the Indian Dwarf mudskipper (Periophthalmus novemradiatus). The Giant- and Blue-spotted mudskippers live at the Andaman Sea-…