45 



SFXTION V. 



ECONOMIC CONDITION OF FISHER-FOLK AND CURERS. 

 WEST COAST— SOUTH CANARA DISTRICT. 



GANGOLI. 



Fishermen are Maraklas who are generally poor. They carry 

 on the industry with their own small capital. In times of need 

 they take loans at exorbitant rates, but there is no regular financing. 

 Some times advances are made by dry fish merchants on condition 

 that the fish cured is sold to them only and none else. Curers 

 belong to various castes such as Roman Catholics, Muhammadans, 

 Billavas, Konkani Brahmans, Sonegars (Goldsmiths), Serigars, 

 Shettis, etc., and out of 36 ticket-holders only three belong to the 

 fishing community. They are generally of moderate means except 

 a few Mussalmans who are well-to-do. Each curer has I to 5 per- 

 manent servants for the season at Rs. 4 to Rs. 9. These gut, clean, 

 salt and dry their fish. For mackerel females to whom money is 

 advanced, attend to the gutting and all operations up to drying and 

 are paid at 2 annas 9 pies per 1,000 mackerel. Curing of large fish 

 is done by male coolies. 



HANG ARK ATT A. 



Fishermen and curers are generally poor but among the latter 

 some are well-to-do Muhammadans, Billavas, and Christians who 

 niake advances to fishermen during the monsoon on condition of 

 the sale of fish to them, when the season begins, at a rate below that 

 of the market. All fishermen receive advances on these conditions 

 so that competition is put down. Besides the local fishermen about 

 1,000 Goanese Christians are got down on the advance system by 

 local curers for fishing from November to February ; they come in 

 groups and bring their own boats, usually two machwas (fairly large 

 sailing boats) and nets ; the advance is worked off by the catches. 

 Besides these curers there are no other capitalists or middlemen. 

 Hired labour is generally employed for (a) transporting, (b) gutting, 

 {c) washing, (d) salting, ie) drying, and (/) storing, etc., and paid 

 for according to piece rates. Curers sometimes make advances to 

 coolies- Men are also engaged for guarding the fish at the yard 

 and outside. The curers of the fisher castes get their work done 

 by their women. 



TONSE. 



Fishermen and curers are not wealthy but mostly poor. They 

 are not financed by capitalists. Occasionally they obtain loans at 

 high rates of interest. Coolies are not employed on monthly wages. 

 Their wages depend upon the nature of the work, 3 to 4 annas per 

 diem being ordinary wages. 



