FISHERY RESOURCES OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. 287 



breeding reserves for trepang, upon which stone piles or dikes have 

 been constructed, and in these places fishing for trepang is strictly for- 

 bidden. In this wa}' the Japanese hope to conserve this valuable food 

 supply. 



There are so many natural breeding places in the Philippines along 

 the coast and among the rocks on the shore line of the many islands, 

 that our supply novs^ is, and probably for years to come will be, much 

 greater than the demand, or rather more than the fishermen under present 

 conditions will take the trouble to dry and prepare for market. 



METHODS OF FISHING FOR TEEPAN6. 



In gathering trepang, the fisherman usu.ally goes out at low tide wading 

 in the shallow water, dragging a small canoe or ianca behind him, into 

 which he throws all the trepang he picks up ; • sometimes he fishes 

 from a boat, with a long handled, one-pronged spear, with which he 

 gathers tip the trepang in water of 3 to 4 meters. In water of greater 

 depth some fishermen dive and bring aip the trepang in their hands. 

 There are localities where small dredges undoubtedly could be used with 

 good effect. 



PBEPAEING TREPANG FOE MARKET. » 



The Filif)ino method of preparing trepang for the market is to boil 

 them for a short time (from five to twenty minutes) in fresh water, after 

 which they are split \vp the belly, eviscerated, and then thoroughly dried 

 in the sun. Each variety seems to require a slightly special treatment 

 particularly in regard to the length of time required for boiling, in 

 order to bring out the best flavor. However, they should all be heated 

 thoroughly throughout, and when taken out of the boiling water they 

 should be hard and elastic, and should dry quickly like a hard boiled egg. 

 The oe frequently is boiled only five minutes; it should be well stirred. 

 Experience really is the only guide as to th ! length of time required for 

 boiling. Sun-dried trepang are the best, and in the greatest demand, 

 but the method of siin-drying is too slow for preparing a whole ship-load. 

 The following method given by V. Simmonds '' is followed in preparing 

 large shijsments of trepang. 



The first thing to do on arriving at an island where trepang is plentiful is 

 to erect a curing house on shore. This house may be of any desired size but 

 one 30 meters long by 15 meters wide, \vith sides 4 meters high, will be found 

 convenient for preparing a ship's cargo. This structure may be built of native 

 material such as mats, bamboo, etc., and roofed with a coconut thatch which 

 must be put on well to keep out the rain. A small door should be left in each 

 end of the house. Platforms for drying the trepang are then erected along 

 one side of the entire length of the house and these should be 2 meters wide, the 

 lower one about breast-high from the ground and the upper one 1 meter above that. 



= The Commercial Products of the Sea. New York (1897), 111. 



