142 



and they will in time naturally spread themselves throughout the 

 entire system of Red Hills supply which includes an exceedingly large 

 number of tanks and streams. 



As soon as this takes place there will be a constant supply of fry 

 running up-stream, i.e., up the supplying or feed channels, each year 

 during the freshes and it is this supply we mean to tap in the main 

 channel at Cholavaram and all other feeders, so that no netting need 

 take place in the main reservoir of Red Hills. 



That they will be established is an absolute certainty, as out of 

 one large stocking alone there will be many survivors ; but to facilitate 

 this, where we are dealing with such an enormous water area and to 

 enable us to obtain a large supply in a quicker time, it becomes 

 necessary to re-stock successively for a number of years. 



The scheme was sanctioned by Government in (t.O. Mis. No. 

 1 1 26, Revenue, dated i8th May 191 6, and the work will be put under 

 way at an early date. 



12. Inspectiofi of Cooi-g and South Kanara rivers. — The above 

 rivers were again inspected during the year agreeably to the orders 

 contained in G.O. Mis. No. 1543, Revenue, dated 28th May 1914, 

 and G.O. Mis. No. 2586, Revenue, dated 22nd November 1915. 

 The Coorg rivers were inspected to ascertain the water temperatures 

 and natural feeding, etc., so as to determine the most valuable 

 non-indigenous fish to introduce. A final report was drawn up and 

 submitted with my letter Ref. No. 87, dated 31st March 1916, 

 embodying therein proposals for the improvement of the fisheries. 



Some of the South Kanara rivers which had yet to be examined, 

 were investigated during the year, and a detailed proposal is now 

 being drawn up to improve the rivers pisciculturally by the establish- 

 ment of a fish farm at Neriya in the Beltangadi taluk of the South 

 Kanara district. 



To put an end to some of the destructive methods of fishing, such 

 as fixing stake nets, basket traps, etc., all the important rivers of the 

 district were brought under section 6 of the Fishery Act for a period 

 of two years from July last. This will enable the district officials to 

 remove the fixed engines and prosecute the offenders, a necessary 

 preliminary start for our future work of stocking. 



13. Fishery legisJn/ion. — A small step was taken during the year 

 in the way of fishery legislation. Fishery Act IV of 1897 is powerless 

 for punishing poachers, because the removal of fish from public 

 waters does not, under the existing law, constitute theft. This state 

 of affairs gave immense opportunity for outsiders to fish with impunity 

 even in the tanks and canals which were stocked by Government. On 

 a strong representation, Government were pleased to bring all the 

 tanks and canals that are operated on by this department under 

 section 6 of the above Act for a period of two years. So also in the 

 case of rivers, it was found absolutely necessary to remove or prohibit 

 all destructive methods of fishing, such as basket traps, stake nets, 

 poisoning, etc., by which means the rivers have for many years been 

 denuded of fish including the merest fry. All the important rivers of 

 the Presidency together with their tributaries were also brought under 

 the above section of the Act temporarily for a period of two years. 



