NO. 3 (1920) INSHORE FISHING EXPERIMENTS 123 



The total weight and value of the thirteen most important food- 

 fishes of Madras caught by our canoes during 1919 are as 

 follows : — 



1. Mackerel 



2. Ceedai (Clupia kanagurta) 



3. Kavalai (C. melanura) ... 



4. Karapodi (Equula spp. Gazza 



spp.) 



5. Netheli (Engraulis spp.) 



6. Prawns 



7. Mullets ... 



8. Oola (Sphyraena spp.) ... 



9. Cat-fishes ... 



10. Manangu (Engraulis spp.) ... 



11. Valai (C. dorab) ••• 



12. Sharks 



13. Pachaikutti (Chatoessus spp.) ... 



It is thus clear that mackerel and clupeids top the list in 1919 in 

 Madras waters, while, according to the statistics on the fishing- 

 Industry of Tuticorin published in report No. 3 of Madras Fisheries 

 Bulletin No. II. it is Valai (C. dorab) that stands out most promi- 

 nently among the food-fishes at Tuticorin ; this has been more or 

 less constant during the four years 1911 to 1914, under review there. 

 As the data collected during the Inshore Fishing Experiment in 

 1917-18 are not so complete as in 1919, only a rough comparison 

 between the two is possible. 



Unlike the year 1919 mackerel were found only sparingly in 

 1917-18 when clupeids formed the most important food-fish at 

 Madras. 



The following table gives month by month the total weight and 

 value of our catch in the year 1919 : — 



January 

 February 



March-. ... 



April ••• 



May 



June ... 



July ... ... 



August 



