NO. 4 ( 1920) THE FISHERIES OF THE NILGIRIS 137 



must be enormous, and the number of people who benefit compara- 

 tively small. The villages contain a small population and are few 

 and far between. After running the gauntlet of all these fixed 

 engines, the few fry that escape have their natural enemies to 

 contend with. 



Mature fish trapping.— The trapping of big fish with fixed engines 

 starts just above Attapadi. The remains of an immense trap, 

 which has been in use last season and partly destroyed, can be 

 seen some 400 yards above the Attapadi ford. It is constructed of 

 stakes driven into the river bed among which strong bamboo strips 

 are interlaced and the whole forms a closely barred gate across 

 the main channel. In the centre of the gate, a square aperture is 

 left for the insertion of a large basket trap of similar construction 

 to the fry engine, only larger and stronger. 



Places where these traps are constructed. — The places that are 

 favourable for the construction of this fixed engine are those in 

 which islands split the main stream into a series of channels. The 

 channel where the largest flow of water passes is selected for the 

 gate, which is supported by Y-shaped stakes driven into the bed 

 at an angle to withstand the water pressure. The other channels 

 are all obstructed by long bamboo-laced hurdles, which entirely 

 prevent the big fish passing, thus driving them to the main stream 

 and gate. 



Area over which gates are found. — The area over which these 

 traps are to be found on the Bhavani is from above Attapadi to 

 within a quarter of a mile of Sundapatti. 



Time when fish run to spawning beds and return. — The big fish run 

 up to the spawning grounds in the upper reaches of the Bhavani 

 during the south-west monsoon when the river is in spate, return- 

 ing as soon as the higher waters begin decreasing during August, 

 September and October according to the season. 



Time when gates are constructed. — As soon as the heavy rains 

 have stopped the people start constructing these fixed engines. 



Other methods of poaching. — The other methods of poaching 

 adopted on the Bhavani in the district I visited consist of "fishing 

 with night lines, small mesh netting, poisoning, beating the pools 

 when water is low (during dry season), dynamiting the pools, etc" 

 Those that came under my notice during my visit I enumerate 

 below. 



