18 



OKHAMANDAL MARINE ZOOLOGY REPORT 



CHANK-FISHING. 



The chank or shank (Turbinclta pyrum) is a shell as characteristic historically 

 of Okhamandal as the pearl oyster is of Jamnagar, and although neither this nor 

 the sections dealing with other marine products which follow come within the 

 terms of reference of my investigation, I trust that the following notes of what 

 I learned and the impressions received will be approved and prove useful. 





FIG. 5. An adult chank from the Adatra reefs, Beyt Harbour. 



At many places along the coast from Dwarka to Beyt the chank occurs in 

 sufficient abundance to make chank-fishiug a small local industry. Since Sam vat 

 1918 (A. D. 1861) the monopoly of the fishery has vested in the Baroda Government. 

 Till A.D. 1893 the authorities combined two systems of administration, renting 

 out to the highest bidder the chank fishery in the Island of Beyt, while the chank 

 beds of the mainland (Aramra and Meeta Bundar) were worked by individually 

 licensed fishermen, who paid Ks. 3 each for the privilege. Since the date 



