maritime activities economy and social customs of the muslims of ...

was fished in the coastal belt of Thirunelveli, Ramanathapuram, Thanjawr and South Arcot. The
thank fishery of Thirunelveli and Ramanathapuram coasts was vey prosperous when compared to
Thanjaw and South Arcot coast1".
Chank were exported to Bengal and it was sokl with good profit.
The Chank &hey also shared the fate of the pearl fishery. It suffered many ups and downs in
the hands of the colonial European powers and the native ders. The Muslim in the Coastal towns
engaged in Chank fishey were affected by this.
After 1796, the Dutch gave up chank fiihiig by themselves and rented it to the highest bidder.
Most of such rentors were Muslims. Though the pearl fishey became Irregular, at the hands of the
English from 1801, chank fishey was conducted from Tuticolin from October to May evey year. The
divers had to move about to collect the scattered shells. The chank collected was sold by auction. Labbai
divers of Kilakkarai were more in the chank fishey in Ramanathapuram coast.
The English a!so rented the chank fiihey to the highest bidder till 1876 when it was taken over
under direct government management. The English government encouraged the divers by giving the
same coolie rate as given by the private contractors, i.e. Rupee 20.00 per 1000 chank. The chank
flshey yielded a largo revenue to the English.
The Rajas of Ramanathapuram and Sivaganga enjoyed the chank fishery rights in
Ramanathapuram coast172. But the chank fishery of Thirunelveli coast alone was in the hands of the
English administration. The Sethupathi exported the chank to Bengal in his own vessels and in the
vessels of the Marakkayars of the region. It brought good revenue to the Sethupathl's treasuy. The
Sethu~athi Raja sent in 1794 alone about 11,20,000 chank to Bengal from Devipattanam port in the
ship of a Marhyar of Kilakkarai. Meera Naina Marakkayar of Ramanathapuram acted as the agent of
the Sethupathi in ~alcuttal~~. The Sethupathis encouraged the Marakkayar and Labbai divers and
traders in chank fishery activities in their coast.
In Thanjawr coast the fishermen of
Nagapattanam, Tranquebar, Thimmullaivasal and
Adimmpattm collected the shells. Here the chanks were collected with net and not by d ~ng'~~. The
thank fiery of Thanjaw coast was enjoyed by the Thanjawr Maratha mlers. The Modi records of the