CHAPTER XIII 



Some Economic Aspects of Shore Life 



The animals and plants inhabiting the tidal area have 

 from the earliest times been utilised by mankind, the 

 shore offering to coastal people sources of food supply 

 denied to those dwelling inland. This is amply proved by 

 the mounds or " kitchen middens " which occur almost 

 universally wherever these food supplies have been unusually 

 abundant. While shore species are still utilised in great 

 variety by peoples of all grades of civilisation these represent 

 a subsidiary rather than a primary source of natural wealth, 

 which is no doubt destined to be exploited in more intense 

 fashion than at present. It is interesting to notice, for 

 example, that the economic difficulties occasioned by the 

 recent war at once caused attention to be directed to the life 

 of the seaboard as a source of food for man and beast, 

 chemical manure, material for war industry, etc. We are 

 considering here the actual products of the tidal zone, to 

 the exclusion of flotsam and jetsam (except where composed 

 of forms living in the tidal area), however interesting or 

 valuable (ambergris for example). 



shore animals utilised by man 



The commercial products of the tidal zone, so far as 

 animals are concerned, consist primarily of shell fish, such 

 as the Oyster, Mussel, Cockle, and Periwinkle. Now and 

 again certain others are eaten, but are seldom marketed. 

 Further we have Crustacea (Crab, Shrimp, and Prawn), 

 and fish taken by nets, etc., within the tidal limits, during 



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