
Glossary:
moeche:
soft shell crabs;
spiantani:
crabs that within one or two days will become moeche;
boni
crabs: crabs that within three weeks will become moeche;
matti
crabs: crabs that will not moult during the harvesting season;
moeche
dure: crabs that have already replaced and hardened their
shell;
mazenete:
female crabs that carry eggs.
CATCHING
CRABS
In
shallow water, crabs are captured in two types of baited
trap: a pegged down net (called tresse) ending
in a funnel-net (called cogolli) or a circular
drop net (called cerchi) which is mainly
utilized during the autumn to catch mazenete
(i.e. females carrying eggs). The
crabs which are caught in the "cogolli" are
collected and carried in wet jute-bags.
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SELECTION
Captured
crabs are placed on a sloping and edged board
(called gorna) with a narrower end which
can be shut. Through
the open side, crabs that have already replaced and hardened
their shell (matti crabs and moeche dure)
are released back into the water.
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Through
experience, the moecante learns how to distinguish
the different types
of crabs, to select the boni and the spiantani
releasing the matti and the moeche dure.
Spiantani
and boni crabs are selected and placed in
separated baskets called vieri. The baskets are
hanged on poles structure placed in shallow water and are
periodically submerged according to tide fluctuation.
Vieri
are frequently opened and inspected to monitor the moulting
phases. A delay may turn into the growth of crabs to
post-moulting stage with the result that crabs that have
already hardened their shell can attack and eat spiantani
which are less aggressive and more vulnerable.
Thus,
the boni basket is checked every three days,
while the one containing spiantani is inspected
twice a day. Mazenette
are never placed in the vieri as they may
become aggressive toward more vulnerable moulting males and
they may eat them. |
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SELECTION
OF "SPIANTANI"
Spiantani
show a greyish color; they need to be handled very carefully
to avoid to pressure their abdomen which could cause their
death.
Moeche
are moved out of vieri and of water when their
shell is still soft and they are placed into boxes with ice
in order to keep them alive for two-three days.
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DISTRIBUTION
Moeche
are then brought to fish-market. Before the sale, two
sea-water buckets are poured on each box. Moeche
absorb the water gaining the lost water and weight. |
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