April 1, 1904.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
683 
THE CEYLON PEARL FISHERIES. 
Sessional paper I, 1904, a summary of the 
report to the Government of Ceylon on tlie Pearl 
Oyster Fisheries of the Gulf of Mannar, by WA 
Herdman, Esq., D.Sc., F.K.S., has come to hand. 
We quote only the 
RECOMMENDATIONS. 
The following recommendations are based upon 
the conclusions briefly given in the preceding pages, 
and also upon the detailed evidence in the 
"Narrative" and other sections of this Report. 
1. That dredging be substituted for diving, 
either wholly or in part, both on inspections and 
also at fisheries. 
2. That a steamer be provided, of the type of a 
modern steam-trawler, from which four dredgers 
could be worked simultaneously and fitted with 
tanks or " (ish wells," in which large numbers of 
pearl-oysters could be transported. 
3. That attention be paid not merely to ins- 
pecting the known paars, but also to traversing 
with the dredge at least once a year certain lines 
across the pearl bank plateau iu order to search for 
new deposits of oysters. 
4. That whenever young oysters are found in 
quantity on the Periya Paar or other localities 
where there is very little prospect of their ever 
dredged up and transplanted to more favourable 
arriving at maturity, they shoula at once be 
grounds, to be determined by careful examination 
of the bottom conditions and the stock of oysters 
already present. 
5. That during an inspection or a fishery when 
many young pearl oysters are found associated 
with older ones, the young should be removed, 
by dredging and sorting, and be saved by trans- 
planting to other.paars unoccupied at the time, 
£»redging can also be made use of to remove great 
numbers ot sponges, crabs, star fish, and other 
enemies of the pearl oyster from the productive 
paars. 
6. That if dredging be not wholly substituted 
for diving at the fisheries, at least the dredges 
should be kept in readiness, so that in the event 
of the divers failing to obtain sufficient oysters in 
the limited time, or in ease the fishery should be 
unfortunately stopped prematurely by an epidemic 
or other unforeseen occurrence, the remaining 
mature oysters on the bottom may not be lost, but 
may by means of the dredges be brought to the 
surface speedily iu bulk.* 
7. In order to increase the area available for the 
attachment and growth of young pearl oysters, 
large areas of the sandy bottom adjoining the more 
important paars, especially the Cheval Paar, 
should undergo artificial "culchiug" — that is, 
should have calcareous objects, such as fragments 
of dead coral, dead oyster shells, and lumps of 
calcareous rock, scattered over the bottom. Such 
material can be obtained in quantity close to hand 
on the shores and reefs of the Gulf of Mannar, 
and the transport and distribution could be eflfected 
easily by means of the steamer. All the oyster 
shells that accumulate on the shore after a fi'^hery 
should be returned to the paars. 
8. In order to facilitate the search for new 
deposits of young oysters, ' drift-bottle ' experi- 
ments should be made, so as to determine the 
prevalent currents in the Gulf of Munnar at the 
breeding times of the oysters. 
' ♦ On 4th February. 1902, on the Periy» Paar, in 15 
tninates one dredge bronght np 14,912 yoang pearl 
oysters, 
9. Very young 'spat,' such as is soraetimea 
found in very great abundance attached to 
floating vv'eeds, should be saved from being carried 
away by the currents, and may be deposited on 
the bottom along with suitable culch to which ib 
can adhere. 
10. That in order to determine when and bow 
the dredges should be used, where from and where 
to and in what quantities the transplantations of 
young oysters should be made, where and how the 
' culching ' should be carried out and similar 
matters, a Marine Biologist should be appointed as 
a permanent official to take part in all inspections 
and fisheries, to advise as to the farming operations 
and if sanctioned, can y out the work and generally 
to supervise the pearl oyster banks and assist in 
regulating the fisheries. 
11. That the Marine Biologist be charged, aa 
his first duty, with the farming of the pearl oyster 
banks in such a manner as to aim at ensuring a 
constant supply of mature oysters. He should 
search at each inspection for new spat and for fresh 
beds of young oysters, should locate the oysters of 
different ages, transplant them when necessary, 
thin them out when overcrowded, remove young 
which would necessarily be killed during the fish- 
ing of the old, or would prevent their neighbours' 
growth ; and thus he would arrange to have all the 
paars occupied by stocks, some in one and some 
in another stage of growth, and to bring on a 
succession of adults ready for fishing. 
12. That during the time of the monsoons 
when it would be impossible to work in the Gulf 
of Mannar, the Marine Biologist should carry 
on his investigations at the Galle Laboratory. 
There would be plenty in connection with the life 
and growth of the pearl oyster and the formation 
and abundance of pearls to occupy his attention, 
even if he had no other work. 
But, as secondary duties when not fully occupied 
wiih pearl oysters questions, I would recommend 
that Marine Biologist should be instructed to 
investigate the " window-shell " oyster fishery 
at Tampalakam, the pearl oyster at Trincomalee 
and elsewhere on the east coast, the edible 
oyster at various localities, the Trepang fishery, 
Chank diving, the possibility of establishing a 
commercial sponge fishery at Trincomalee, and the 
native fish-trawling industries. With these and 
other practical applications of Science, which he 
would discover and make known, the time and 
energies of the Marine Biologist would be more 
than fully occupied throughout the year in useful 
work for the Colony. 
13. If these recommendations are adopted and a 
Marine Biologist is permanently charged with the 
work of conserving and promoting the pearl oyster 
and other fisheries, he must be given the means 
of carrying on his work sa'^isfactorily. For in- 
specting, dredging, 'culching' and transplanting 
a steamer is necessary. It need not be large nor 
swift, but it must be fit for the work and specially 
fitted with tanks, winch, dredges, &c., which will 
be necessary. He also will require a laboratory, 
and the usual mechanical and clerical assistance ; 
but I do not see that any useful purpose can be 
served, under the circumstances, by establishing 
a laboratory at Aripu or elsewhere in the Gulf 
of Mannar. It must be clear to any scientific 
man who knows the locality that any biological 
work on the pearl banks must be done at sea trora 
a ship during the inspections and fisheries, and 
cannot be done at all during the monsoons because 
of the heavy sea and useless e-xposed shgie, ^ij 
