an
estimated number of 99,834,452 of oysters, having an average value of
Rl7.08 per thousand, and that number is considerably more than it is
likely to be possible to fish in one season under the most favourable
circumstances.
10.
On the Motarakam, Par which was fished last April, I found about
3,206,250 oysters still remaining which are available for fishing- next
season should an opportunity of doing so occur.
11.
On the Periya ParKaraiand Vankalu Par I found a small
patch of oysters about two years old, but they were not sufficiently
numerous to become of any value.
12.
On the Karaitivu Par I found a small bed of three years old
oysters containing about 1,605,465 oysters averaging 15 to a dive.
13.
On the Muttuvaratu Par which lies about six miles to the
north-west of Dutch Bay, I found a splendid bank of three years old
oysters, having an area of about 7,320,600 superficial yards,
containing about 49,414,050 oysters, averaging 27 to a dive. The
oysters were firm on very suitable rocky ground, I have great hope of
this bank affording a handsome fishery in 1890, although there is no
record of its having ever yielded a fishery.
14.
On the west side of the Cheval the old oysters on nearly every
part of it were covered with young oysters about three months old,
attached to them so thickly that on sevtral oysters I counted from 60
to 125 young ones. These young oysters will cause some extra labour to
the men in the diving boats during the next fishery, as it will be
necessary to have them pulled of the old oysters as they are brought up
and thrown overboard again, and this will no doubt cause the
destruction of an immense number of them. Similar young oysters were
found thickly spread over the Periya Par fishing ground of 1879.—I am,
&c.,
(Signed) J. Dos nan,
Inspector, Pearl Banks.
