Madras fisheries bulletin

i6
Superintendent of Pearl and Chank Fisheries. This
change has enabled greater attention to be given, alike to
general management and to the disposal of the produce
to the best possible advantage. The results have been
most gratifying for, in spite of difficulties due to a
gradual decrease in the number of men available as
divers and one season when the weather conditions were
exceptionally adverse, the results of the four years of
administration under the Fisheries Department have
yielded a net profit to Government of Rs. 78,311-13-1,
a higher aggregate than for any previous period of four
consecutive years during the whole of the time Government
have worked this fishery departmentally. The
only comparable period is that of 1 880-1884 when a total
of Rs. 71,481-15-9 was obtained. During the latter
period, however, lower rates were paid to the divers, so
if rates were equalized the comparison would be still
further to the credit of the present system.
The factors against good results comprise headwinds,
rough weather at sea, the cloudy condition of the
sea, chilly water, morning calms which prevent the
canoes from reaching the fishing grounds, the presence
of sharks and of shoals of stinging jelly fishes and, most
potent of all, the counter attraction of a pearl fishery.
The seasons vary greatly and there is a marked periodicity
in the alternating series of good and bad seasons
which reminds one of the periodicity characterizing the
occurrence in series of productive pearl fisheries. The
undue prolongation or intensity of the rainy season has
most prejudicial influence upon results ; the shallow
littoral waters where the beds lie (3 to 10 fathoms)
remain chill far into the fishing season, the river floods
cause discoloration of the sea particularly off the mouth
of the Tambraparni and the absence of bright sunshine
the divers and renders them disinclined to
depresses
regular work and difficult to deal with. Rough weather,
is less
provided the sun shines and the sea be warm,
prejudicial than would be expected.
surprise
It is a standing
to me to see in what rough
work, often 5 to 7 miles from land,
seas
and
the
still
men will
bring in
good catches, a fact proving the good qualities of the
fishing canoes used on this coast. Early morning calms
are much more prejudicial and cause much loss of time