INTRODUCTION. 



1. The following report is the result of investigations 

 made since 1867, into whether a wasteful destruction of the 

 fresh-water fisheries is or is not occurring in India and 

 Burma. It may be said to be composed of two elements, 

 personal investigations and the result of enquiries made by 

 European and Native civil officers in India and Burma. 



2. When personally enquiring in different districts, I 

 found that such a la rue amount of valuable local knowledge 

 existed that I proposed circulating a scries of questions 

 and deferring the compilation of the full report imtil answers 

 had been received. 



3. The questions circulated were as follows : — For Col- 

 lectors, (1). — Are breeding fish and very young ones destroyed 

 in your district to any great extent ? (2). — If they are des- 

 troyed, how, in what places, and at what seasons ? (3). — What 

 is the smallest size of the mesh of nets allowed or employed 

 in your district ? (4). — What difficulties are there against 

 regulating the size of the mesh of the nets ? (5). — What size 

 between knot and knot of the meshes of nets do you con- 

 sider advisable ? (6). — What objections exist against prohi- 

 biting the sale of the fry of fish in the bazars? (7). — Are 

 there any objections against prohibiting the capture of fish 

 in hilly districts, as the Himalayas or Nilgiris, during the 

 first two months of the monsoon season when they are 

 breeding ? 



4. Those for Tehsildars or Native Officials were, — 

 CO* — What number of fishermen are there in your range, and 



