BECHE-DE-MER FISHERIES. 



231 



cate the important position this fishery occupies among the industries of the colony, and to 

 emphasise the desirability that exists for according it every reasonable encouragement and sup- 

 port. It is worthy of remark that the monetary value of the total annual output closely cor- 

 responds with, but is somewhat in excess of, that of the oysters so extensively exported from 

 the southern district of Queensland to the neighbouring colonies. China represents the market 

 to which, with the exception of a few hundredweights, all the Australian Beche-de-mer is con- 

 signed ; in which market that shipped from Cooktown, and known as Barrier fish, enjoys a 

 higher reputation and realises better prices than the article derives from any other locality 

 on the face of the globe. As shown in the following schedule, " teat-fish," with a value of from 

 £,\^o to ;^I50 per ton, occupies the premier position. As much, however, as ^160 per ton 

 has been occasionally realised for exceptionally well-cured red-fish. The prices of all varieties 

 are subject to considerable fluctuation, which is intimately associated with the current value of gold 

 in the Chinese market. 



Return showing Quantities and Value of Beche-de-Mer exported from Queensland within 



THE Ten Years 1880 to 1889. 



The foregoing return shows that the most flourishing epoch of the Queensland Beche-de-mer 

 trade was between the years 1881 and 1883, when the value of the total annual exports 

 approximated to, or even exceeded, ^30,000. The most unremunerative period was the year 

 1887, when the total export value fell to ^"15,000. Since then there has been a tendency towards 

 improvement, which is apparently still in progress, the licenses for boats taken out for the past 

 few years having been on an increasing ratio. The returns in this direction show that 62 

 boats are now licensed from Port Kennedy, in Thursday Island, and 27 from Cooktown. To 

 these are to be added some half-dozen which have taken out licenses at Townsville, Cairns, 

 and Ingham. This gives a total of over one hundred craft engaged in the fishery. 



