XI 



whatever exist against prohibiting- the sale of the fry of fish in the 

 bazars. The Officiating Deputy Commissioner, Muzaffargarh, reports 

 that there does not appear to be any very extensive destruction of 

 breeding* and young fish, as fishing is chiefly carried on in pools formed 

 by inundations, which soon dry up after the river subsides. Nets are 

 not used with a mesh less than 1 \ inches between knot and knot, which 

 might be increased by further regulations to 2 or even 3 inches. " Mian 

 Mahbub Dhony, Magistrate, who is a great sportsman, thinks the mesh 

 should not be less than 9 inches all round/'' There is no difficulty in 

 regulating the minimum size of the meshes of nets ; the sale of fry by 

 fishermen should be prohibited, for, if they have been purchased by the 

 retailers, it will be difficult to interfere with them. In 1870 the Deputy 

 Commissioner of this place reported : " there is a great and wanton de- 

 struction of young fish by men with purse nets of small meshes," which he 

 considered should be prohibited during June, July and August. The Officiat- 

 ing Deputy Commissioner , Montgomery, states that breeding fish and very 

 young ones are destroyed to some extent in ' boodhs/ or hollow places in the 

 rivers, which, during the rainy season, are united with the stream, but be- 

 come detached as inundations cease. About \ of an inch between knot and 

 knot of the nets appears to be the smallest size employed, and there seems 

 no difficulty in regulating what it should be ; 1^ inches is proposed for 

 this purpose. No objections exist against prohibiting the sale of the 

 fry of fish in the bazars. The Officiating Deputy Commissioner of 

 Multan replies, that breeding fish and very young ones are destroyed to 

 a considerable extent. Various kinds of traps and snares are employed in 

 the district during the cold season in the l dhunds' ; a species of basket 

 is commonly in use. The smallest size mesh of nets used is \ an inch 

 square, but these are rarely employed, they being generally from 1 to 2 

 inches. No difficulty is anticipated in regulating the minimum size to be 

 sanctioned, which it is suggested should be 2 inches between knot and 

 knot, and thus destruction of young fish, which is at present considerable, 

 will be avoided. No objection exists against prohibiting the sale of the 

 fry of fish in the bazars, which is considered to be desirable. 



27. The Deputy Commissioner of Lahor reports, that breeding 



fish are not destroyed to a very great extent, 

 «,f t^^TZ^^T^ as, owing to the period fish breed being in 



the European officials of Lahor i • , l P1 • & 



and Gujranwala. the rains, the current of the river is such, 



that netting is difficult. ' Chilwa' fishing is 

 carried on in July and August, and small fish of all kinds are taken by 

 hand-nets. " Breeding fish and their young are caught in July and August 

 in the Deg, and in the chumbs and creeks connected with it ; the former 

 in ordinary nets, and the latter in small hand-nets w r ith fine meshes. 

 The zemindars catch the small fish in the chumbs in a variety of ways, 

 with baskets or cloth bags, or fine nets, Sec" The smallest size of the 

 mesh of nets employed is about that of a pea. " The difficulties about 

 regulating the size of the meshes of nets are mainly two : the legal 

 difficulty in enforcing any rules on the subject ; at present forfeiture of 

 the license is the only penalty. Secondly, the financial difficulty : any 

 attempt to introduce the license system or to regulating the size of the 

 meshes would be attended with an immediate loss of revenue. It is 

 probable, however, that the revenue would in time recover itself as large 



