Kanjirakode karimeen (pearl spot), a highly relished variety of the pearl spot species, is fast becoming a rarity in the backwaters of Kerala. Those who have relished these recall the serving as big as a plate, though now less than the size of a saucer. Kanjirakode pearl spots come from the Kanjirakode creek of Ashtamudi Lake. The entire lake is a pearl spot habitat, but the Kanjarikode karimeen have a more yummy taste. Various reasons have been attributed to this, the most popular being the China clay bed of the creek. The Kanjirakode creek and peripheral areas have huge deposits of China clay. Minister for Fisheries J. Mercykutty Amma says karimeen is one of her favourite delicacies, but she savours only the Kanjirakode karimeen. Being accustomed to the Kanjirakode ones, I don’t find the karimeen of other areas tasty. The Kanjirakode pearl spots cost about Rs.700 a kg irrespective of the size. Destructive fishing methods are cited as the main cause for the small size of Kanjirakode pearl spots now. Though karimeen was declared the State fish in 2010 and 2011 was declared as the Year of the Karimeen,’ no efforts worth the mention have so far been taken to augment the karimeen population of the State in general and Kanjirakode in particular, say environmentalists. An IUCN report says that in spite of being in high demand, wild populations of the species have not been given sufficient conservation attention.
2016, The Hindu