HORNELL— MARINE RESOURCES 27 



SEA-FISHING AND FISH-CURING. 



What I trust may prove the most valuable and far-reaching result of my 

 inquiry was to find that though fishes of valuable food species abound in great 

 numbers both on the northern and western coasts of Okhamandal no fishing 

 industry exists. I believe I am correct in saying that not a single fishing boat 

 nor one fixed engine for trapping fish exists within the territory. 



On entering upon my mission the possibility of visiting a long stretch of 

 varied coast-line, where sea-fishing is non-existent was too improbable to enter 

 into my thoughts and as this question was not included as a subject of my deputation 

 I took neither lines nor nets with me ; as a consequence I cannot furnish any 

 details touching the relative abundance of the more important fishes nor can I say 

 much as to their species. 



What I can state with certainty — facts based almost entirely on notes of the 

 species caught specially by the Samiani lighthouse-keeper and on a few fishes 

 caught or seen during the general investigation — is : — 



(ffl) That valuable flat-fishes of the genus Synaptura are to be had in Balapur 

 Bay on the coast side of Beyt Island. This fish is closely allied to the true sole 

 and is, I believe, fairly abundant. 



(6) That the group of fishes generally termed " Rock-fishes " from the preference 

 they show to rocky bottom, are very abundant in the western section of Okhamandal. 

 The Samiani lighthouse-keeper brought in daily a more than ample supply for 

 our kitchen and from this source I found the following fishes to be among the most 

 frequent, namely : — 



Lutjanus sp., Serranus areolatus (Forsk), Serranus fasciatus (Forsk), 

 Diagramma sp. 



Polynemus sp. and a species of Scicena would also appear to be common in this 

 district. 



(c) Several times when ofi" the coast in the steam-launch, shoals of silvery 

 fishes were frequently seen covering considerable areas with their closely-packed ranks. 

 Some appeared to be Clupeoids (herring family) ; others were undoubtedly of the 

 mackerel group. 



A fact of significant importance is the big export fish trade which I believe exists 

 along the coast of Sind and the State of Kutch. Even in Ceylon a quantity of the 

 dried fish sold appears to come from the latter district, a certain quality being known 

 as Kutch fish. 



Considering the variety and luxuriance of the marine fauna and flora of the seas 

 around Okhamandal, it would be incredible indeed if a large fish trade be not capable 

 of development, especially when we note that natural salt is produced very extensively 



