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quite sure that however limited the restriction on fishing- may be, it will 

 be looked on with disfavour and dissatisfaction, and the machinery which 

 will have to be used to restrain fishermen will not be the least burden- 

 some feature of the measure. Supervisors and a host of chuprassies will 

 have to be let loose about the country, who by their rapacity and 

 oppressiveness will cause a measure of usefulness and ultimate profit 

 to be hateful to the fishermen, and indirectly to the consumers of fish. 

 If it is objected that the measure can be carried out by the existing 

 Police force and Tehsil establishments, as probably it can be, then every 

 fisherman in the district will be under the eye and dependent on the 

 favour of the Police or Revenue establishments. And the result is plain 

 to see — not a fisherman would be in favour with these officials, unless 

 the tables of the latter were freely supplied with fish, &c. The fact is, 

 in this part of the country, there is enough fish for all who want it, and 

 to spare, and there is no need whatever for any change of practice, and 

 I strongly deprecate any interference whatever " [With such strong* 

 opinions of reprobating action in a question which he admits may 

 " cause a measure of usefulness and ultimate profit," it is to be regretted 

 more reasons are not adduced to show if any regulations are needed, 

 and if so, what such ought to be. The following notes, however, are 

 forwarded, which do not seem to prove that the fisheries are well cared 

 for in this district.] The Assistant Collector, whilst repeating- the above 

 objections, observes : — " In this district breeding-fish and very young 

 ones are undoubtedly destroyed indiscriminately to a very great extent. 

 In the Ganges and other rivers, in tanks, ponds, flooded lands, &c., 

 principally during and after the rainy season, by nets of all sorts, by 

 rods, by traps, by draining off water, and so stranding them, or lading 

 them out, and in some places even by poison. The meshes of some of 

 the nets used are no larger than a small pea." If the minimum size 

 of the mesh of nets is regulated, such should only be in force for the two 

 or three months following the breeding season, but " the people concerned 

 will look upon legislation on this subject as a new interference with, and 

 an unfair restriction of, their rights/'' That no objections exist against 

 prohibiting the sale of fry in the bazars, which would be easily put in 

 force, at least in the principal bazars. The Officiating Collector of Bena- 

 res (January 11th, 1872) observed: — "Although it is doubtless true that 

 both breeding-fish and very small fry are extensively caught, the result 

 of enquiries instituted by me does not prove that there has been any 

 observable diminution in the supply of fish in the city of Benares 

 during the last few years." Hindus, except Baishnus and Jains, use 

 fish as food, as do also the Mahomedans, with this reservation that the 

 Shias reject the scaleless forms. A belief appears to exist that during 

 the hot weather and rains fish are not so wholesome as during the cold 

 months. " Amongst the Brahmins, I am informed that about 25 per cent, 

 eat fish, while amongst the rest of the population, 75 per cent, may 

 safely be put down as fish-eating." The larger kinds of fish are sun- 

 dried and salted at certain seasons, and are almost wholly sold to 

 Bengalis. About 50 maunds of fish per diem are consumed in the 

 district, except in April and May, when the supply is largest. " (1) 

 Breeding-fish are extensively destroyed in this district, also very young 

 ones, but the latter only in the rivers and streams. (2) From the 



