The Trochus

Is It Migratory?

Scientists And Divers

Differ

From Our Own Correspondent

Thursday Is., Sept. 1

IS the trochus a migratory creature?

Some time back, in an interesting article in The P.I.M., it was stated that the trochus fish does not move about much, and on the authority of a B.Sc., who has been studying the valuable shell fish, we are told that the idea that it travels from one sec tion of the ocean bed to another is without foundation.

The native boys, who spend a con siderable amount of their time in div ing and walking about under water collecting trochus, have a very diff erent opinion, however; and a num ber of them, who are of high intelli gence and have been made aware of the theory of the non-migratory char acter of the inmate of the conical house, declare most emphatically that it does travel over some distance and that it, moreover, moves with some degree of rapidity. They cite various instances in their personal experi ence to prove this.

It is well-known, of course, that the fish “digs in” under the stones, particularly in cold weather. But there have been cases where a lugger has come along, anchored on a likely patch, and the Japanese and other mixed swimmers have secured only a couple of kerosene-tins full after a whole afternoon’s work. At dusk, another lugger anchored alongside and got to work next day, successfully gathering several bags.

Both crews were pretty well matched so far as keenness goes, but they maintained that the fish were simply not there the first day, but had arrived afterwards.

“Sometimes we see them moving along underneath, with the shell standing up off the ground,” said one of the most experienced swim-divers hereabouts. “They go by the moon, too; and you have to watch the moon so as to get the trochus on certain reefs.”

So far as the natives are concerned, there is no doubt about it. But scien tists say otherwise. So, until someone else comes to the rescue and makes some practical observations, the ques tion will no doubt be one open to controversy.

The Troches That Walked

On the economic side, one sugges tion made is that with a view to in creasing the local production of trochus in special areas, small “chicken” shell be placed in plots in suitable marine gardens round the is lands, so that when it grew to the requisite size it might be garnered without difficulty. At least one islander has made the experiment; but he mournfully admitted the other day that he didn’t see much profit coming from it, because after being settled in its new location near the shore, the trochus had strolled off one morning and had not returned.

Still, if areas could be fenced in and protected, it is quite possible that “trochus gardens” might become quite common and worth cultivating. A number of the natives bring in young clams and place them in a marked area, so that after they have grown to a fair size (which takes not so long as one might imagine) they may be easily collected for food supplies, so that the idea of marine “fattening gardens” is not a new one Trochus is just now stiffening in price, latest parcels sold locally real ising £65 per ton.