Report No. I fl92lj. 



ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES, 

 MADRAS, FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30TH JUNE 1920 



BY 



The Hon'ble Mk. A. Y. G. CAMPBELL, c.i.e., c.b.e., LC.S., 



Director or Fisheries. 



Administration. 



1. Personnel.—^\T rr(3derick Nicholson, who had handed over 

 charge of the department to Mr. Hornell on 26th November 1918, 

 continued in charge of the west coast fisheries stations until the 1st 

 February 1920, when he finally severed liis connexion with the 

 department. 



2. Sir Frederick Nicholson may be regarded as the founder of 

 the Fisheries Department in this Presidency. It owes its inception 

 and its success to his suggestions and supervision. In 1899 when 

 he was a member of the Board of Revenue, he drew attention to the 

 importance of studying and developing fisheries in this Presidency. 

 In 1901^ when the Government were about to take action on this sug- 

 gestion, Sir Frederick Nicholson, who had by that time retired, 

 offered his services for two years, one to be spent in carrying out a 

 survey of fisheries in India and the other in the study of methods in 

 Europe. The offer was accepted and Sir Frederick "Nicholson 

 entered on his duties on the 1st July 1905. In his report embody- 

 ing the results of his enquiries on the west coast, he laid emphasis 

 on the restricted exploitation of the sea, the inefficiency of the boats 

 and nets, the difficulty of landing catches m a sound and untainted 

 condition and the treatment of iish when landed. After the sub- 

 mission of his report he visited Jaj;an, the United States and England 

 in 1906 and he made another extensive tour in America and Europe 

 in 1907. He then formulated the following proposals : — 



(1) The establishment of an experimental station at Ennore 

 with a view to design new and better boats and nets, to experiment 

 on improved methods of fishing and curing, and to study the habits, 

 movements, food, etc., of the fish and the economics of the industry 

 and trade. 



(2) The establishment of another station on the west coast 

 to improve the salting and drying, the smoking and the canning of 

 fish, and the manufacture of fish-oil and guano. 



(8) An oyster laying ground near Ennore. 



(4) The utilization of inland waters for fish-hatcheries. 



These proposals were sanctioned by the Government. 



