114 MADRAS FISHERIES BULLETIN VOL. XV, 



facilitate the study of zoology throughout India by the provision 

 of zoological specimens suitable for teaching purposes. 



(6) To carry on such scientific study of the bionomics of the 

 food-fishes of the Presidency and of the animals on which they 

 feed as our limited means will permit, bearing in mind that our 

 resources must be utilized in the first instance for strictly practical 

 and economic ends. 



The practical working out of the above falls under one or other 

 of the following main heads : — Fishery Development, Industries, 

 Technical and Scientific Investigation, Education and Socio- 

 economics. 



I— FISHERY DEVELOPMENT. 



The two chief items under this head represent two of the out- 

 standing successes of the department. They are the reorganiza- 

 tion of the historic chank fisheries of the East Coast and the 

 stocking schemes whereby our tanks and rivers are made to yield 

 more abundantly. Both are highly profitable directly and these 

 profits in good seasons usually enable a large proportion of the 

 expenses of the department to be met without trenching on public 

 funds. In other words "Fisheries" to a great extent has been a 

 self-supporting department, able to pay its way. With the large 

 and non-productive educational work now initiated, this favourable 

 balance is not likely to be maintained. 



The Chank Fisheries are peculiarly profitable. They are old 

 and historic prerogatives of the Crown, worked directly by the 

 Fisheries Department by means of volunteer labour, paid piece- 

 work. The department provides many valuable facilities to the 

 divers free of cost, including towage to the fishing grounds, 

 buoying of the beds, and provision of camping quarters, assistance 

 which considerably increases their earnings and gives them 

 comfort undreamed of in former clays. In spite of higher prices 

 paid to the fishermen, the work of the department has resulted in 

 largely increased catches and profits — 



RS. 



In 1917-18 these fisheries gave a net profit of ... 39>278 

 In 1918-19 this rose to ... ... ... ... 67,580 



In 1919-20 to ... ... ... ... 46,029 



A total for these three years of ... 1,52,887 



