18 



oKIIAMANDAL M ARINK /<>< .<><; V IIKI'OKT 



CHANK-FISHING. 



The cli.-ink or sliank (Tiirhiiiclfn jn/rnm) is a slicll as characteristic historically 

 of Okhamandal as the pearl oyster is of Janniagar, ami although neither this nor 

 the sections dealing with other niavine products which follow come within the 

 terms of reference of my investigation, I trust that the following notes of what 

 I learned and the impressions received will be approved and prove useful. 



FIG. 5. An adult chank from the Adatra reefs, Beyt Harbour. X ? ; . 



At many places along the coast from Dwarka to Bcyt the chank occurs in 

 sufficient abundance to make chank-fishing a small local industry. Since Samvat 

 1918 (A.D. 18(J1) the monopoly of the fishery has vested in the Baroda Government. 

 Till A.D. 181)3 the authorities combined two systems of administration, renting 

 out to the highest bidder the chank fishery iu the Island of Beyt, while the chank 

 beds of the mainland (Aramra and Meeta Bundar) were worked by individually 

 licensed fishermen, who paid Rs. 3 each for the privilege. Since the date 



