Unusual fishery of black clam near Aluva sand banks after the floods

In August 2018, severe flood affected in the state of Kerala due to unusual high rainfall. The black clam, Villorita cyprinoides, is found in the backwaters of Kerala, mainly in Vembanad backwaters which support annual average fishery of about 40,000 tonnes. Immediately after the floods, unusual fishery of V. cyprinoides was noticed in the Aluva river as the water level receded after the flood, and it was very easily handpicked by the diving fishermen. This fishery lasted for almost 1 month after the flood and was supported by large sized clams which fetched an average market price `100 to 150 per kg of meat