No. 2 (1921) REMARKS O^ CANNING 13$ 



Sardi7W. — The oil sardine (Clupea longiceps) appears in shoals, 

 often numerous and of large size, from September right through to 

 May ; they are probably present during the monsoon June to August 

 as they are occasionally caught during fair intervals, and in spawn ; 

 but the3^ are not usually in good condition for canning after 

 February, being lean and comparatively tasteless, and mostly of 

 very small size. The fish are caught in various nets as mentioned 

 above, and are often procurable by the ton and at a cost of from 

 Rs. 10 to Rs. 30 per ton ; when of good canning size, say 10 or 12 

 per quarter tin, the ton will number from 25,000 to 35,000. They are 

 mostly caught inshore within a mile or two from land, but the 

 locality may be some miles from the cannery. Their irregularity 

 is great not only from year to year but from place to place ; 

 in one year they may be abundant in Kanara and deficient in 

 Malabar ; they may be large and fat in one place and (as in 1919) 

 small and miserable in another; in some months or weeks they will 

 be abundant, but scarce for long periods ; in some years they will 

 be abundant all over the Coast, in others scanty. Hence a certain 

 irregularity in canning, for though sardines may be had they may 

 be costly and in poor condition and not suitable for first-class 

 canning ; moreover there are always periods of scarcity or total 

 absence of fish, and from March to August it is often better, unless 

 occasionally, to close sardine operations. Hence there must be 

 a certain dependence on other fish or on by — industries if a 

 cannery has, like a Government factory, to be kept open with full 

 staff during the whole year. On the other hand it is possible to 

 have a cannery with a mere nucleus staff, calling in solderers, 

 packers, etc.. only as occasion requires. 



The other sardines (Clupea fimbriata or chala mathi, and Clupea 

 lile) are not worth canning ; the flesh of chala mathi is of poor 

 flavour, the fish lean and very bony. 



216. Mackerel are even more uncertain than sardines but are 

 caught along the Coast in vast numbers two years out of three, and 

 all years in some number. A factory which in a good year could 

 pack 100,000 cans of mackerel might in a bad year pack only 10,000. 

 They are most excellent canning material, but need more care than 

 sardines as they taint more rapidly. 



217. Prawns are caught during most of the year, and in large 

 quantities prior to and during the monsoon. They are a great 

 standby for the West Coast canner, and give good profit. 



