{"id":44665,"date":"2025-10-24T23:06:22","date_gmt":"2025-10-24T19:06:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mauritiustimes.com\/mt\/?p=44665"},"modified":"2025-10-25T16:39:03","modified_gmt":"2025-10-25T12:39:03","slug":"research-on-fishing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mauritiustimes.com\/mt\/research-on-fishing\/","title":{"rendered":"Research on Fishing"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mauritius Times, 71 Years Ago<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

By Philippe Forget<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

In the last issue of this journal the editorial commentator writes an interesting note on net fishing. He recalls that: “The Minister of Agriculture has had the happy initiative of accepting the recommendation of the Fisheries Committee to suspend the close season for net fishing this year,” and comments: “This is certainly a wise decision which will greatly alleviate the fishermen who have suffered much during the cyclones. This is good as a temporary measure, and no one can guess what will happen in future.” He goes on to look forward to the arrival of a fishing expert.<\/span><\/p>\n

It is to be noted, first of all, that the absence of a close season for net fishing, although it will probably benefit net fishermen, will also probably be detrimental to professional line fishermen who, equally well, deserve commiseration for the bad 1960 season.<\/span><\/p>\n

Further, one may wonder whether any firm data is available which could support the view that the decision is a wise one. Granted that the warm season is the time most favourable to reproductive activities and development of the young fish, and that mature fish close up on the coast for reproduction at such times, it might be queried whether decimation of the number of mature females by means of net fishing might not be detrimental to the catches of fish in future years, and therefore, whether a close season for net fishing in summer is not a better decision. One fears very much that decisions of this kind might well have to be taken in the absence of scientific facts.<\/span><\/p>\n

This, in turn prompts another query. Would the passage of a fishing expert provide us with such incontrovertible facts? Would it not be better, in the fishing industry as in most other governmental technical departments, to open our eyes to the illuminating example of the Research Institute of the sugar industry? Everyone knows that the Research Institute, manned by a majority of Mauritian scientists, performs yeoman\u2019s service to the industry and to the country as a whole. Here is indeed the vital brain of our vital industry, giving, thanks to Mauritian scientists, a superb account of itself. It is a fact well worth stating that it is not expert advisers who do this kind of scientific work but the proper set-up and proper funds, geared to the requisites of proper freedom of scientific methods that get results. One properly equipped Marine Biology Research Laboratory is worth ten successive experts to the fishing industry.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mauritius is making itself a name in collecting expert reports which it cannot grow up to accept. Let the research and scientific work be done here, by us, among us, and we might be better hands at their application, having grown up with them.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

MOTIONS<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

The following motions have been tabled by Mr B. Ramlallah:<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

1. \u201cThis Council is of opinion that due to difficulties the poorer classes of this island are experiencing in order to fulfil all the legal formalities to have a clear title of deeds to allow them to take loans on mortgage from the Mauritius Agricultural Bank and the Sugar Industry Labour Welfare Committee it is expedient that Government should urgently study the possibility of waiving for a number of years the stamp duties, registration dues, Court and ushers’ fees so as to facilitate people contracting loans up to an amount of Rs 8,000 for the purpose of building dwelling houses.”<\/span><\/p>\n

2. “This Council is of opinion that in the interest of secondary education of the island the Ministry of Education should be entrusted with the responsibility of conducting the examination for forms I to IV in all secondary schools.”<\/span><\/p>\n

3. “This Council is of opinion that to stabilize the economy of the island Government should take immediate steps to set up a State Bank.”<\/span><\/p>\n

4. “This Council is of opinion that appropriate steps be taken to set up a Sugar Marketing Board.”<\/span><\/p>\n

5. “This Council is of opinion that it is expedient to institute an inquiry into the functioning of the fishing industry with a view to setting up the industry on a sound basis.”<\/span><\/p>\n

6. “This Council is of opinion that the Ministry of Education should grant junior and English scholarships on the basis of a means rest.”<\/span><\/p>\n

7. “This Council is of opinion that Government should implement the motion made by Hon J. N. Roy, the then second member for Grand-Port Savanne and adopted by the Council on the 24th of June 1949 on the subject of land tenure.”<\/span><\/p>\n

8. “This Council is of opinion that the Minister of Education should appoint a committee to make a thorough inquiry into the functioning of all non-aided secondary schools and to make necessary recommendations in order to improve the efficiency of these schools.”<\/span><\/p>\n

9. “This Council is of opinion that the present system of automatic promotion of the pupils in the primary schools be abolished, and a suitable method of promotion be instituted. This Council is further of the opinion that a half yearly test in all classes of primary schools be instituted.”<\/span><\/p>\n

10. “This Council is of opinion that the Education Ministry should henceforth grant junior scholarships based on the result of the VIth Standard examination and also abolish the post sixth standard (junior scholarship) classes now conducted in primary Government and aided schools.”<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

7th Year – No 319
\n<\/strong>Friday 7th October, 1960<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Mauritius Times ePaper Friday 24 October 2025<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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