GENERAL SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS. 133 



2. That a steamer be provided, of the type of a modern steam-trawler, from which 

 a number of dredges could be worked simultaneously ; and be fitted with tanks or 

 " fish -wells " in which large numbers of pearl oysters could be transported. 



3. That attention be paid to inspecting not merely the known paars, but also to 

 traversing with the dredge at least once a year certain lines across the pearl bank 

 plateau, in order to search for new deposits of oysters. 



4. That whenever young oysters are found in quantity on the Periya Paar or other 

 localities where there is very little prospect of their ever arriving at maturity, as 

 many as possible should at once be dredged up and transplanted to more favourable 

 grounds, to be determined by careful examination of the bottom conditions and the 

 stock of oysters already present. 



Such transplantation, in order to be successful, must be conducted on a large scale. 

 There can be no doubt that even healthy beds of oysters on favourable ground tend 

 to diminish as they grow older, and may sometimes from the action of their natural 

 enemies become greatly reduced in numbers before arriving at fishable age. The 

 bed of l|-year-old oysters on the Muttuvaratu Paar, which was estimated in March, 

 1902, as 277 millions, was found in November, 1904, to be reduced to about 20 millions. 

 Again, the bed of 3-year-old oysters on the West Cheval Paar, estimated at 123 millions 

 in February, 1902, was found two years later to be reduced to 35 millions. No doubt 

 these are exceptional cases, but the conclusion to be drawn is that in transplanting 

 young oysters it is necessary to deal with large numbers, so as to allow for the natural 

 decrease which will inevitably take place. 



5. That during an inspection, or a fishery, when large quantities of young pearl 

 oysters are found associated with older ones, or when an immature bed is obviously 

 overcrowded, as many as possible of the young should be removed, by dredging and 

 sorting, and be saved by transplanting to other paars unoccupied at the time. 

 Dredging can also be made use of to remove great numbers of sponges, crabs, star- 

 fish, and other enemies of the pearl oyster from the productive paars. 



6. That if dredging cannot be wholly substituted for diving at the fisheries, at least 

 the dredges should be kept in readiness, so that in the event of the divers failing 

 to obtain sufficient oysters in the limited time, or in case the fishery should be 

 unfortunately stopped prematurely by an epidemic or other unforeseen occurrence, the 

 remaining mature oysters on the bottom may not all be lost, but may, by means ot 

 the dredges, be brought to the surface speedily in bulk.* 



7. In order to increase the area available for the attachment and growth of young 

 pearl oysters, large areas of the sandy bottom adjoining the more important paars, 

 especially the Cheval Paar, should undergo artificial " cultching," that is, should have 

 broken material, such as fragments of dead coral, lumps of rock and other rubble, 

 scattered over the bottom. Such material can be obtained in quantity close to hand 



* On February 4th, 1902, on the Periya Paar, in 15 minutes, one dredge brought up 14,912 youn^ 

 pearl oysters, 



