48 



Are there any regular markefs for fresh fish in the locality ; if so, 

 who are the sellers, whether fishermen or persons who have pur- 

 chased from the fishermen, or fishermen's relatives ; to what caste or 

 nationality do they belong ; are there any steps taken to keep the fish 

 good after having been brought to the market, e.g., use of salt water 

 baths, nets to keep off flies, and so forth. Do the municipality, if 

 any, levy any stall-tax ; do they provide aids for keeping stalls clean 

 and fish sweet or do they enforce penalties if the stalls are not kept 

 clean ? What fish are generally most abundant at such markets ? 

 What fish are most in demand for consumption ? Are fresh fish sold 

 by weight or by number or in what way ; are the eggs or roe of fish 

 sold separately from the fish, e.g., roe of seer, hilsa, etc., eggs of cat- 

 fish and so forth ; if so, at what prices ; whether fresh fish is sold always 

 for ready money or whether accounts are kept ; how many persons 

 daily sell fish at the market ; if stalls are rented, how many are there 

 so rented ; any suggestions made by the fi«;h-sellers for the improve- 

 ment of the business. What is done by the fish-sellers with any fish 

 that are unsold during the day ? Give the prices obtained by {a) 

 fishermen on the beach, (/-') at the market for fresh fish, both at ordi- 

 nary times and on occasions either of great abundance or rarity. 

 What is the ordinary difference in price of fresh fish {a) on the beach, 

 {b) at the market, [c) at ten miles inland. Is there a ready sale for 

 all fresh fish taken inland at the prices demanded ? What is the 

 ordinary difference in price in the locality of {a) fresh fish bought by 

 the curers, {b) offish cured at the fish-curing yard, e.g., if fresh fish 

 be bought by the curers for Rs. lo, what will be the selling price of 

 the same after being cured ? 



Give all information procurable about the inland fresh fish trade, 

 e.g., persons conducting it, distance to which it is carried fresh, prices 

 charged as the distance increases, mode of selling the fish taken to a 

 distant village and so forth. 



Curing. — How many ticket-holders are there at the fish-curing 

 yard ; what are their castes or nationalities and how many of each ; 

 in what relation do they stand to fishermen, e.g., are they relatives 

 (wives, brothers, etc.), or persons who advance money or lend boats 

 to the actual fishermen, or are they simply purchasers of fish ; how 

 many of the ticket-holders are big men and either own several boats 

 or control the catches of several fishermen ; in what way do they 

 obtain control over the catches of the fishermen, e.g., whether by 

 advance or by leasing boats to fishermen or by employment of coolies 

 in their own boats ; is most of the fish .caught brought to the fish- 

 curing yard, or only such as cannot be sold fresh ? 



Describe the methods of cleaning and gutting {a) large fish, {b) 

 small ones ; what is done with the guts, heads, etc., e.g., whether they 

 are left on the beach or thrown into the water, or taken away for 

 manure or as food for poor classes, use in toddy-shops, etc. ; for what 

 trees or crops are they considered the best manure ? 



What method of curing is adopted in the yard or by private 

 persons outside the yard ; is the fish frequently tainted when it comes 

 for being cured ; are maggots observed in the fish either when brought 

 in the yard or in the process of curing. In the curing processes are 

 the fish washed in fresh sea-water after saving and before drying ; if 

 so, is the sea-water brought into the fish-curing yard or are the fish 



