What the Changi Beach foraging controversy tells us about S’pore’s marine laws

MS Explains: Marine foraging laws in focus after Changi Beach saga

In late July, a Douyin video showing a group of people foraging large amounts of marine life at Changi Beach during low-tide drew backlash on social media.

The video shows a group of about 16 people heading to the beach at night, digging out crabs, shellfish, and molluscs and collecting them in buckets.

Afterwards, they took their “harvest” to a restaurant later identified as Havelock Palace in Chinatown, which showed the true scale of their foraging and raised further alarm.

A netizen who posted the video on the Complaint Singapore Facebook Group also noted that the group appeared to have foraged no fewer than 30 fan clams that night.

Marine foraging video draws criticism

The alleged overharvesting of marine life drew widespread criticism from locals on social media.

The restaurant involved was flooded with bad reviews on its Google page for enabling “unsustainable foraging practices”.

A marine foraging Telegram group with nearly 900 members at its peak and arranged at least three foraging trips each week was disbanded by its administrator.

However, it is unclear whether it is related to the group in the controversial video.

The incident also did not go unnoticed by public servants.

In a Facebook post on 26 July, Pasir Ris-Changi GRC Member of Parliament (MP) Valerie Lee called the harvest of huge amounts of marine life “deplorable”.

The MP stated that the issue is not just about whether foraging large amounts of marine life is legal or not.

It feels like a complete lack of respect—for the animals, for these fragile ecosystems, and even for the traditions of ancient foragers, who understood that you take only what you need so the shore can continue to provide.

She called on the National Parks Board (NParks) to step up patrols at Singapore’s intertidal habitats, saying these are some of the island’s “most magical ecosystems, but also some of our most vulnerable”.

Not the first time marine foraging raised concerns

The recent case is not the first time a large group of people marine foraging in Changi Beach has raised concerns.

In 2021, amid Covid-19 restrictions, beachgoers including families with young children, were seen collecting fish, shellfish, sea cucumbers, anemones, and other marine creatures from the shore. 

This sparked criticism from marine groups, enthusiasts and netizens, who called out the irresponsible handling of marine wildlife.

At the time, NParks said it would take measures to prevent the manhandling of creatures in intertidal areas.

These include increasing patrols and raising public awareness on the detrimental effects of touching, collecting or trampling on marine wildlife in their natural habitats.  

Lack of laws surrounding marine foraging

The incidents put a spotlight on the lack of stronger and more encompassing laws on marine foraging in Singapore.

Other than certain rare species, marine and land creatures without backbones, including shellfish and crabs, are not protected under the Wildlife Act.

Meanwhile, the Fisheries Act 1966 only disallows the capture of any animal, including shellfish, from national parks and nature reserves.

In response to MS News enquiries, NParks said it is aware of the viral post and sought the understanding of the public to protect Singapore’s intertidal biodiversity.

It said it restricts the capture of animals from intertidal zones under its jurisdiction.

These include Sisters’ Islands Marine Park, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Labrador Nature Reserve’s rocky shore, and Chek Jawa Wetlands.

“For intertidal areas beyond our jurisdiction, we focus on public education through online advisories, physical signs and increased patrols to share best practices and educate visitors on how to interact responsibly with marine wildlife,” said the Group Director of NParks’ National Biodiversity Centre, Karenne Tun.

No regulations against serving wild-foraged seafood

Meanwhile, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) told MS News that there are no regulations prohibiting food businesses from preparing wild-foraged seafood or other ingredients supplied by customers.

Despite this, businesses must ensure that food prepared on their premises are fit for human consumption and handled under sanitary conditions, in accordance with the Sale of Food Act and the Environmental Public Health (Food Hygiene) Regulations.

“Food businesses that accept wild-foraged catch brought in by customers must exercise caution and due diligence to ensure that the ingredients do not pose any food safety risks,” they said.

SFA added that wild marine life taken from public shores may carry higher food safety risks.

Why a full ban is not necessarily the answer

While it may sound like the best course of action to protect our marine wildlife, a total ban on marine foraging is not a flawless solution.

Experts have weighed in, saying that this would hurt the preservation of indigenous cultures in Singapore.

Man Jing Kong, a science content creator, pointed out that indigenous communities such as the Orang Laut have been foraging intertidal areas sustainably for generations.

Those participating gan hai, or coastal foraging, as a trend are only hurting the reputation of these local foragers.

During the 2021 marine foraging issue, Syazwan Majid, a descendant of native Pulau Ubin islanders, also highlighted that a total ban on foraging non-endangered intertidal marine life would prevent future generations from learning their traditions and cultural practises.

Is public education enough?

While the gan hai trend is also happening in other countries such as Australia, Japan, and New Zealand, Ms Kong emphasised that Singapore is a tiny island with limited coastlines and marine habitats.

Without seasonal closures, size limits, or catch quotas, local marine populations simply don’t have enough time to recover. And in a high-density country like Singapore, having people treating our shores like an all-you-can-take buffet can very quickly lead to a severe depletion.

Ms Kong said she and her team would often visit beaches to educate foragers and encourage them to release what they have caught.

While most people would listen and release the animals, some wouldn’t, and a few would even become hostile.

“There were a few instances where the kids were screaming and shouting that they don’t care if they kill the animal, and the parents are okay with that,” Ms Kong shared.

What Singapore can do to protect marine wildlife and indigenous culture

With Singapore’s limited resources, perhaps more could be done to regulate instead of ban the foraging of non-endangered marine life.

In France’s Côte d’Opale region, for example, people can catch shellfish and crustaceans on its Boulonnais coastline at a certain timeframe during the day.

Authorities have also set limitations on the sizes of the foraged shellfish and the amount per person.

Similar regulations can help Singapore strike a balance between protecting its indigenous tradition and marine biodiversity.

Also read: ‘Deplorable’: MP criticises group seen foraging marine life from Changi Beach & allegedly cooking them in estaurant

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Featured image adapted from Complaint Singapore on Facebook.