No. 4 (191 7) Indian beche-de-mer 137 



remunerative to induce divers to devote their whole time to it ; it 

 has to be worked as an auxiliary to the chank fishery, and 

 as already explained the conjunction is a welcome one to the 

 divers. 



Any large increase in the industry in any locality where the 

 animals are fairly abundant, will depend chiefly upon whether any 

 substantial increase in the rates paid, can be given. Last year 

 very low rates prevailed as the cost of preparation had to be 

 ascertained, and the general impression among the coast people 

 was that the market was abnormally low. Accordingly the divers 

 agreed to meet Government in this situation by accepting consider- 

 ably lower rates than prevailed when the trade was flourishing. 

 The prices agreed upon were Rs. 10-6-8 per 1,000 for No. 1 quality, 

 Rs. 5-3-4 per 1,000 for No. II and Rs. I-II-9 for No. III. 



With the favourable experience of last year as a guide and 

 according to my promise to the divers, the rates fixed for this year's 

 transactions have been increased to Rs. 6-8-2 in the case of the 

 larger grades (Nos. I and 11 which are now to be treated as a single 

 grade), and to Rs. 2-9-8 per 1,000 in that of the smaller size 

 (No. Ill) to which it is necessary to give special encouragement. If 

 the results of the present season's work again show a large margin 

 of net profit, it will be necessary to consider what further increase 

 can be given in the following year, as every enhancement of the 

 rate will make the divers more willing to devote increased attention 

 to this section of their work, and with larger catches, the cost of 

 curing, etc., will be reduced and the turn-over much augmented. 

 It will also tend to attract a larger number of divers and this will 

 not only benefit the beche-de-mer fishery but will prove of much 

 value in assisting recruitment for the chank fishery. 



Black attai (Holothuria atra) is exceedingly abundant and 

 although it is reputed to have been used occasionally to adulterate 

 and colour parcels of white attai, it does not appear to have been 

 fished specifically for its own sake. 



Accordingly I instituted a number of experiments and found 

 that while there is no difficulty in curing this species, the weight 

 of the dried product is so insignificant (approximately half that of 

 average No. Ill grade of white attai) and its quality is considered 

 so poor by the Chinese, that the price quoted in Singapore for the 

 sample sent, about Rs. 7 per picul, makes it impossible to cure this 

 species at a profit. 



