cxlviii 



327. The Secretary to the Government of the North-West Provin- 



ces* observed : — " The wanton destruction of 



N O w n prov?Les G0Vernment ^ fish d ° eS n ° d ° Ubt GXist t0 S0m6 extent > but > m 



the Lieutenant-Governor's opinion, it would be 



quite impossible to check it without introducing much greater evils, such 



as, the opportunities of extortion, and their interference with the habits 



of the people ; and the irritation that would be the result of any attempt 



to do so would be serious. At the same time the annual recurrence of the 



rainy season forms a sort of close season for the protection of the fish : 



the supply of fish is not proved to be decreasing to auy material extent, 



and altog'ether His Honor considers that there is no sufficient ground 



for any special action on the part of the legislature/'' 



328. The Commissioner of the Meernt Division remarked: — "I think 



it may safely be concluded that the propor- 

 • Opinions of European Officials tion of the popu l a tion, who live by fishing as 



a trade, is not large ; the proportion of per- 

 sons who have no other occupation than fishing as a means of livelihood 

 is small, but it is increased by others who resort to fishing at odd times, 

 probably in times when they have nothing better to do ; so far then as 

 the fishermen class is concerned, I do not think there is much to fear of 

 their efforts making any appreciable impression on the fish-supply. But 

 there is a fear that, unless the reckless system of wholesale destruction is 

 stopped, the fish-supply may become scant. There seem to be two main 

 causes which lend to this wanton destruction of fish ; the first is by reason 

 of the facilities afforded for doing so in the canals and rajbahars (irriga- 

 tion works), and the second is the absence of any check in respect of 

 rivers." He continues that nets or gratings at the head of canals will be 

 liable to be carried away in heavy floods, so proposes fish-ladders at each 

 fall. "The main points for consideration would be (1) to prevent dam- 

 ming streams for the purpose of catching fish ; (2) a limit to the size of 

 the mesh in nets ; (3) a close season, say * * from 1st July to 1st October, 

 seems to be essentially necessary, and catching fish within these dates should 

 be prohibited. The close season need not apply to every kind of fish, but 

 to those more generally used for food ; * * the limit to the size of 

 the mesh of nets would only stop the fry being caught, but the prohibi- 

 tion to damming or diverting streams would also prevent the wholesale 

 destruction which now takes place. " The Commissioner of Meerut 

 reported (October 29th, 1868) that there is no doubt that the most 

 wanton destruction of fish does take place, and that fish are disappearing 

 from the sub-streams of the Ganges and Jumna. Where 20 or 30 years 

 ago fish of 10 or 15 lbs could be caught, none are now to be seen except 

 fry, and such fry the native fishermen net and snare in every way at all 

 seasons. The Superintendent of Dehra Boon stated (January 29th, 

 1872) that "breeding-fish are destroyed in great numbers, and small fry 

 were, until lately, also largely captured. The breeding-fish are destroyed 

 in the commencement of the rains in every conceivable manner ; they 

 at that time run up small streams, and are there killed with sticks, 

 caught in nets, in baskets, in temporary cruives, by hooks fastened in 

 great numbers on to lines, and many other ways. Small fry are taken at 



These reports were received October 10th, 1872. 



