4 FISHERIES OF THE ORIENTAL REGION, 



coasts of the Straits of Malacca, whether on the Sumatran or 

 Malayan sides, are extremely low and shallow. Large mangrove 

 swamps with innumerable shallow streams fringe the shores. 

 Vessels of even moderate draught must anchor a long way out. 

 Sometimes, where the coast is scarcely visible, one meets a 

 succession of bamboo fences, which are fishing stakes or fish traps 

 of clumsy construction. They are closely woven labyrinths in 

 which the fishes get entangled when the tide is in, and remain 

 until the men come to make them captive. The fishing boats, 

 of frail construction, vary from one to three tons burden. They 

 are pulled by oars, and seldom carry sails, so that they do not 

 venture far from shore. The nets are made of twine tanned 

 with mangrove bark. The meshes are not constructed as in 

 Europe, being knotted in a different way, with a fastening that 

 slips and often allows fish to escape. The fishing stakes require 

 very little trouble, and contribute largely to the take. They 

 answer well enough in fine weather, and there is seldom anything 

 else in the Straits of Malacca. The traps are neither ingenious nor 

 durable, but the sea is rich in fish, and they are well sheltered. 

 They form a conspicuous feature all through the Archipelago 

 where the coast is shallow. 



The fish trade comprises the following branches, viz. : — (1) 

 fresh fish; (2) dried fish; (3) isinglass (fish-maws); (4) fish-roes; 

 (5 and 6) red fish and " sardines ;" (7) sharks' fins ; (8) balachan ; 

 (9) fish manure; (10) tripang, or beche-de-mer. A short descrip- 

 tion of each of these divisions will be given. 



Fresh Fish. — The fish fauna of the Archipelago, including the 

 marine and river species, amounts to about 400. This would 

 make it about one-third less than some of the richest fish faunas 

 in the world. The fishes of the Archipelago have received a 

 considerable amount of attention, especially on the Indian and 

 Malayan sides ; but it may be doubted whether there are not a 

 good many additional species yet to be described. It will be 

 understood, therefore, that the above estimate is only approxi- 

 mate. No separation has been made between marine and fresh- 



