§ Mr. TREVELYANasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies how far out to sea at the furthest point the prohibition of thank fishing reaches from the coast of Ceylon; and to what vessels the prohibition applies?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREIt is estimated by rough measurement that the line in the Gulf of Manaar mentioned in my reply to the hon. Member's previous question on this subject is at its furthest point 25 miles from the coast of Ceylon. The prohibition applies to all vessels of all nationalities and is imposed for the protection of the pearl banks, which, as the hon. Member is aware, are located on1418W the bed of the sea. Chanks are not strictly fish, but their shells are collected for ornament. The justification for this prohibition is based on rights over the fisheries enjoyed in uninterrupted and undisputed proprietorship by successive rulers, native, Portuguese, Dutch and British, since period prior to the development of the doctrine of the 3-mile limit.