EDITORIAL. 
783 
times of to-day — it will nevertheless realise that the natural resources of 
the sea, no less than those which flourish on the face of the earth or lie 
buried beneath its surface, have a considerable present and still greater 
potential value to the state and to posterity. 
The present prospects for the continuance of fishing investigations are 
somewhat blank. There appears to be no provision for the appointment 
of a successor to the Marine Biologist who returns to England at the end 
of the year ; and the post of Assistant Marine Biologist which was only 
filled for a matter of about 5 months has been abolished, one of the 
minutice of Government economy. 
The inconclusive ending of a costly enterprise emphasises the fact that 
experiments of this nature are foredoomed to failure unless their conduct 
goes hand-in-hand with scientific investigation, and, if possible, under the 
direction of someone who combines knowledge of local fishing conditions 
from both the scientific and practical sides. We are satisfied from many 
facts already known that power-fishing — not necessarily steam-trawling — 
will some day become one of the great industries of the Bombay Presi- 
dency, and that the present setback is purely temporary and due to 
faults in the conception and carrying out of the scheme. What is wanted 
is enlightened commercial control working in close collaboration with 
informed (practical) scientific advice. It is evident that wide local 
knowledge of the life-history and habits of our food fishes is essential 
to ensure success. We must know at least the salient facts about them, 
their breeding seasons, spawning grounds, and the main factors control- 
ling the periodic migrations that are outstanding characteristics of some 
of our most valuable marketable fishes. Knowledge of this description 
intelligently applied will assuredly enable our sea-fishing industry to 
develop on modern lines and so obtain the largest possible quantities of 
fish in the best condition upon an expenditure low enough to permit of sale 
at reasonable prices ; perhaps in no other industry depending directly 
upon the spontaneous produce of Nature, can the possible result so amply 
repay the capital and labour expended upon it. But the practical scientist 
(zoologist) is essential to success and it is also needful that any extensive 
steam or motor fishery organization should have strong and patient financial 
backing and should he run in conjunction with a well-thought out and 
extensive cold-storage and distributing agency. It is probably an easier 
proposition to catch the fish than to dispose of the catches at remunera- 
tive rates. This is work that no Government department can iackle 
satisfactorily ; Government should confine itself to the investigations that 
are needful to supply the data essential to commercial success and should 
not try directly and through their own organization to develop commer- 
cially such capitalistic methods of fishing as steam-trawling. 
The Administration Report of the Department of Fisheries, Madras, by 
the Director, Mr. .1. Hornell, F.L.S., F.R.A.I., just to hand makes very 
interesting reading. Although such a department should not be considered 
a profit-earning department, as its resources should be devoted primarily 
and principally to investigation and research in ' the interests both of 
the fishing industry and the general community, it manages to cover 
the greater part of its expenditure by profits made on the departmental 
tank fishery and from the improvement of inland waters. The latter 
source of revenue is particularly noteworthy. The Department takes over 
tanks and rivers from the local authorities on payment of yearly com- 
pensation based on past rentals received, and then by applying up-to- 
date piscicultural methods for the improvement of these waters, is able 
to obtain largely increased rentals, which pay all the expenses of the 
section and leave a handsom-e surplus that goes far to c8ver expenditure 
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