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attention — even in India we have ample precedent in the 

 action of the Bombay Government which under section 

 37 of their Land Revenue Code (Bombay Act V of 1879) 

 exercises the rights of proprietorship over the oyster 

 beds in the Sind Creeks, in the levy of heavy duties by 

 the Kutch Durbar on oysters removed from the creeks 

 on their coast, and lastly in the power which the Madras 

 Government through the medium of the Public Works 

 Department has taken to itself to lease out the collection 

 of small clams (inatti) along the course of the Bucking- 

 ham Canal and actually within Pulicat Lake itself. The 

 action of the French Government in regard to Arcachon 

 has also been detailed at some length on a preceding- 

 page, and there can be, I think, no doubt as to the 

 proprietorship of the State in all shell-fish fisheries in 

 areas affected by tidal waters. It is desirable, therefore, 

 if the Government desires to foster an edible oyster 

 fishery that notification, in whatever may be the proper 

 legal manner, be made interdicting till further notice, 

 under suitable penalty, all collection and dealing in 

 edible oysters from the beds in Pulicat Lake. The beds 

 around Pulicat being thus protected consideration may 

 then be given to the mode in which development of these 

 dormant fishery resources may best be effected. Here 

 as in other new departures in the country, it will be 

 necessary for the State to do the pioneering. I would 

 therefore propose for the consideration of Government 

 that the Fisheries Department be directed to take a 

 small area of suitable bottom in Pulicat Lake and there 

 carry on experiments based upon simplified Arcachon 

 methods as described in the preceding pages, directed 

 towards ascertaining the most economical and effective 

 methods of oyster culture suitable to the particular 

 conditions prevailing in a tropical country in general and 

 in Pulicat Lake in particular. These experiments should 

 be directed to ascertain — 



(a) the best form of collector to use, 



(6) the most suitable method of arranging the 

 collectors, 



