clxx 



none who make a living solely by fishing, consequently there would 

 be little objection raised/'' "The destruction of crocodiles' ecjgs might 

 be secured by the offer of a suitable reward." " Whatever regulations 

 it may be found necessary to introduce in other districts could, of 

 course, be introduced here; but there is not in this district such a 

 wanton desecration ( ? destruction) of fish as to diminish the annual 

 supply, or endanger a natural source of cheap food for posterity.'" 

 The Collector of Banda (August 2nd, 1872) observed that " fish abound 

 iu the district : the fish market in the town of Banda itself is over- 

 stocked with fish of all kinds during the rains, but the supply is 

 deficient during the other seasons of the year ; * * the breeding-fish and 

 the young fish are destroyed in large quantities in the nallas, streams 

 and rivers ; the extent is variously estimated, and may be said to vary 

 from ^rd to \ in the rivers and perennial streams, and from ^ to frd in 

 the other streams and nallas." The smallest mesh used is jth of an inch 

 from knot to knot. Would not recommend any action in future, either 

 as regards the mesh of nets, the sale of fry in the bazars, or the de- 

 struction of fish during the breeding season. The Officiating Collector 

 of Cawwpore (April 25th, 1872) replied : " I have the honour to observe 

 that, as far as my knowledge goes, I am unable to corroborate the im- 

 pression that the fish of the rivers in the parts of India I am acquainted 

 with, are decreasing in quantity. The arguments for the probability of 

 such being the case, derived from the analogy of a decrease in certain 

 kinds of fish in English rivers, are not generally applicable to the con- 

 dition of things in India. In the ordinary consumption of fish as food, 

 only an inappreciable part of the myriads which come to maturity every 

 year is destroyed. * * The State has on its hands as much as it can well 

 undertake, in carrying through public measures which are not supported 

 by the public opinion of the country. I would suggest that any proceed- 

 ing so unpopular, as the prevention of fishing, might with advantage 

 be postponed, until the minds of the people are in a more settled con- 

 dition than is the case now." 



331. The Commissioner of the Agra Division (in 18G9) says that 



he attributes the opinions expressed by the 

 OffiSTn thf Agra UiST district officers rather to their imperfect know- 

 ledge of the subject than to any ascertained 

 data, and observes upon the great destruction of fry which takes place 

 in the vicinity of large towns. In answer to the questions circulated, 

 the Commissioner (February 23rd, 1872) replied that there is " no reason to 

 apprehend that any wholesale destruction of fish goes on in these parts. 

 A close time might no doubt be introduced by law for the protection of 

 fish during the breeding season, but it does not appear to me that it 

 would be easy to carry out such a measure, or that there is any compen- 

 sating object to be gained. * * For the rest, it is a useful maxim — de 

 minimis non curat lex — minute legislation is unbefitting our position iu this 

 country, and more likely to expose our Government to ridicule than to 

 lead to any results of important benefits to the people ; * * it is in the 

 highest degree undesirable that the public mind should be disturbed by 

 gratuitous interference on the part of an alien administration, enforced 

 by not very trustworthy agency." The Collector of Furruckabad reported 

 (February 13th, 1872) that "the principal season for catching fish is 



