XV11 



the Jumna at Okla is finished, that the bed is not dry below the weir at 

 seasons during- which fish ascend and descend the river, I think a fish- 

 ladder should undoubtedly be made. The original cost of outlay and 

 the extra loss of water entailed by fish-ladders are hardly to be set 

 against the benefits to be derived from them. "With reference to the 

 construction of breeding tanks in connection with canals, I would remark 

 that in this division there are tanks in direct communication with the 

 canal, suitable for the breeding of fish at the following* places (enumerat- 

 ed) which are sufficient for this division. Similar breeding tanks should 

 be formed in connection with canals in other districts where they do not 

 exist. At present the Engineers of the Western Jumna canal in this 

 division prohibit fishing in the canal itself, but allow it (except during 

 the breeding- season) in the tanks, on payment of a fee of Re. 1 per 

 net. I think this course should be reversed. I would permit fishing 

 in the canal provided the meshes of the nets used are not smaller than 

 2J inches from knot to knot, but would prohibit fishing in the breeding 

 tanks altogether. These tanks should not be disturbed, and fish should 

 be allowed to freely escape into them when the water in the canal is 

 turned off, and the tanks themselves should not be drained of water." 

 The Deputy Commissioner of Hissdr reports, that breeding- fish and very 

 young ones are not destroyed to a great extent; but, as a general rule, the 

 fishermen pay no attention to the condition of the fish. The smallest 

 size of the mesh of the nets employed here is \ of an inch between knot 

 and knot of the meshes. No difficulty is apprehended in regulating the 

 size of the mesh of nets, although there would naturally be a tendency 

 on the part of the licensees to reduce the size to their own standard for 

 catching small fry as well as large fish. From 2 to 2^ inches be- 

 tween the knots of the meshes is proposed as the minimum size that 

 should be permitted. Fish being so rarely bought and sold, owing to 

 its scarcity and want of appreciation, save hy a very small percentage of 

 the population, no objections are anticipated against prohibiting the sale 

 of fry in the bazars. 



32. The Commissioner of the Delhi Division (March 14th, 1872) 



Delhi Divmon.-Aus^ers of forwarded reports from the following officers, 



the European officials of Delhi, observing, that instructions have been issued 



Gurgaon, Sarsa and Kurnal. tn j s J aVj fch at f or t h e f u t ure , no licenses to 



use nets of meshes below 1J inches between knot and knot shall be 

 granted. The Officiating Deputy Commissioner of Delhi states, that 

 many young fish are no doubt destroyed, but few breeding ones owing 

 to the paucity of breeding grounds. The time at which the young fish 

 are destroyed, is in the river from the first monsoon inundations until 

 the month of November or later. No restriction exists as to the size 

 of the meshes of nets employed, which is about \ of an inch between 

 knot and knot. If the taking of small fish is to be prohibited, there 

 would be no difficulty in regulating the size of the meshes by a clause 

 in the license, and f of an inch between knot and knot is recommended. 

 No objections exist against prohibiting the sale of fry within municipal 

 limits, elsewhere legal sanction would be necessary, where the sales, 

 however, are insignificant : would prohibit the use of small-meshed 

 nets from June to November, so that the taking of those sorts which are 

 mature, when of small size, would not be prevented. The Deputy Com- 

 missioner of Gurgaon replies, that as the Jumna is the only river in his 



b 



