14 Madras fisheries bulletin VOL. XV 



emphasis will have to be laid on how they should be prepared for 

 the table — the best of oysters are utterly ruined if the shells be 

 opened roughly and the flesh served up in an unattractive way, as 

 happens so frequently with the ordinary Madras cook who loves to 

 open oysters with a hammer. 



THE DEPARTMENTAL MARINE FISHERIES. 



18. Of these the only important one at present is the chank 

 fishery, for alike with Ceyion, the pearl fishery has been unproduc- 

 tive for many years whilst that for beche-de-mer is merely an 

 adjunct to the chank fishery, carried on mainly to bring the wages 

 of the Tirupalakudi chank divers to a remunerative level. During 

 the year under notice the decline in the chank fishery noted in 

 1919-20 continued, and the results both financially and in output 

 were particularly disappointing. The total catch of shells fell to 

 283,869 compared with 339,835 in the preceding year, and 435,262 

 in 1918-19. The beche-de-mer fishery was an entire failure. 



19. Financial results. — The details of the revenue and expendi- 

 ture for the various chank fisheries for the year are shown below, 

 annas and pies being omitted : — 



Revenue. Expenditure. Profit. 



This profit is the smallest for the past seven years and coincides 

 with a marked decline in the number of clanks fished as shown by 

 the following tabulation : — 



Net profits. SUm ^ed! ehells 



ES. 



1916-17 53,938 418,314 



1917-18 



1918-19 

 1919-20 

 1920-21 



57,122 391,137 



82,611 435,262 



46,0*9 339,835 



36,537 283,869 



