Status of the pearl oyster population in the Gulf of Mannar

The five volumes of Herdman (1903-1906) observation on the "Report to the Government of Ceylon the pearl oyster fisheries of the Gulf of Mannar" and the treatise of Hornell (1922) on "The Indian pearl fisheries of the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay" are the works of scientists who had mastery over the subject of pearl fisheries of the Gulf of Mannar on both the Indian and Sri Lankan sides. Subsequ ent to 1922 the only major contributions, 1975. aside the routine survey, have been the use of dredge for fishing of pearl oysters on the Sri Lankan side