MADRAS FISHERIES BULLETIN VOL. XII, 



months the crews were able to capture 83,187% lb. of fish which were 

 sold for Rs. 4,912-0-9 at an average price of about 113 pies per lb. 

 The largest quantity caught on a single clay was 2,080 lb., worth 

 Rs. 108-9-9. The total expenditure for the period is Rs. 5,320-1-1 

 including a capital outlay of Rs. 1,026-15-1 for canoes and nets. 

 As the canoes are serviceable for about fifteen years and the nets 

 for about three years, depreciations at 7 per cent and 35 per cent 

 may be calculated respectively on their value. The effects of 

 these operations on the local fisherfolk are not altogether unfavour- 

 able and, though none of the well-to-do among them has yet 

 come forward to copy our example, we have been able to secure 

 the services of four local fishermen to work in our canoes and 

 this is a great improvement considering the opposition that was 

 set up by them last year. Unfortunately our men had again to 

 incur the displeasure of some of the local men as they assisted the 

 Marine Police in capturing smugglers who, were carrying 2,000 tolas 

 of opium into a steamer in the harbour. On several days when 

 only a few catamarans were able to go for fishing owing to bad 

 weather, our canoes went out and were able to land good hauls of 

 fish, e.g., on 1 6th January 1919, they captured 1,715 lb. worth 

 Rs. 91-5-O though only a few catamarans went out fishing on that 

 day. Important biological information and other data have also 

 been recorded." Supervision charges, amounting to Rs. 434, have 

 not however been debited, but this is justifiable in part, if not 

 entirely, by the fact that if a party of fishermen were working in 

 co-operation on their own account and profit there would be no 

 need for paid supervision. A point which the report of this 

 experiment omits to note is that a considerable amount of fishing 

 was done inside the harbour where no local fishermen are allowed to 

 ply their calling. This is a most material circumstance ; therefore 

 to present a perfectly fair account of the result of these operations, 

 it is necessary to deduct from the receipts whatever sum was 

 received from the sale of fish caught inside the harbour. This 

 amounted to the comparatively large sum of Rs. 828-14-3. Deduct- 

 ing this amount and depreciation of Rs- 201-3-1 on boats and nets 

 making in all Rs. 1,030-1-4, from the gross receipts of Rs. 4,912-0-7, 

 we have a balance of Rs. 3,881-15-3 as against Rs. 4,293-2-0 

 (excluding supervision), leaving a loss of Rs. 41 1-2-9 on the 

 working. From this there may however be deducted the sum of 

 Rs. 169-7-3, which represents the rail fares incurred in transporting 



