ccx 



fields, lakes, ponds, or JMls, and everywhere by nets and traps, and 

 by emptying water from the hollows during- the rains. This practice 

 might be stopped with advantage/'' The following are the taxed 

 nets used in the fresh and back waters of this district: — (I) Hmyaw- 

 paik, each piece 60 feet long and 18 deep, with a mesh from 1 to 4 

 inches square; these are drift-nets; (2) Kyee-doung, very similar to the 

 last; (3) Laigivenpaik, 60 feet long, 15 deep, with rneshes of 3 or 

 4 inches square, and are fixed in shallow parts of rivers and across 

 streams; (4) Nga-tha-louk-paik — these are cast-nets employed from a 

 boat, and used for the purpose of taking the shad as they ascend the 

 rivers for breeding purposes ; (5) Ngin-paik, 60 X 18 feet, 2 to 3 

 inches square in the mesh, and used from boats ; (6) Paik-gyee, 75 to 120 

 feet long, and about 38 feet deep at the mouth, with meshes from % 

 an inch to 6 inches square ; these are fixed in the shallow parts of the 

 biy and in rivers ; (7) Paik-tsoon-kyoo, from 30 to 36 feet long, and 

 about the same depth at the mouth, with a mesh from \ an inch to 

 4 inches square ; sometimes they are used as fixtures, at other times 

 dragged in the streams and creeks ; (8) Tsein-paik, in one set of six traps 

 (cruives), 37^ feet long and 9 to 12 wide at the opening, and composed 

 of split bamboo fastened close together ; these bamboo traps are fastened 

 to posts fixed in the rivers and creeks; (9) Ts/nvay -paik-gyee or Paik- 

 htouk-gyee, from 1,200 to 2,400 feet long, 18 deep, and meshes of 2 or 3 

 inches square ; they are drag-nets ; (10) Tshioay-paik-galay are also drag- 

 nets, 120 X 6 feet, with meshes 1 or 2 inches square; (11) Tim-divin-paik, 

 stationary nets in the rivers, about 30 feet square bagnets, and i to 4 

 inches square in the meshes. Irrespective of the foregoing taxed nets, the 

 untaxed contrivances for capturing fish are rods and lines, traps and small 

 nets in fields, and also in shallow streams by means ot bamboo weirs. 



387. In the Ramree District, the native official reports that there 



.. . . „ L . _ . , „ are about 50 fishermen, including those who 



Opinion of native official of i i , , ,. c 



Rau l iree use bamboo scoops; the greater portion ol 



the cultivators likewise use these scoops 



during the rains. The markets are fully supplied, but the amount of 



fish in the water has slightly decreased. Very small fish are taken in 



considerable quantities, in comparison with the extent of the fresh waters, 



by making dams, with bamboo traps and scoops ; the minimum mesh 



employed is \ an inch, but a coarse cloth is used for small nets. Bushes 



are also placed in side streams, and when fish have taken refuge in them, 



they are surrounded by nets. 



388. In the Sandoway District, the three native officials reply 



that very few of the fishermen make fishing 



Sandoway. "* ^ ° f their sole occupation, there being no local 



markets ; fishing is only carried on to supply 

 personal requirements ; however, the price of fish is given at from 8 to 

 24 lbs. weight the rupee. The whole population eat fish, the amount of 

 which is believed to have remained stationary. Very small fish are 

 taken, as the river rises during the rains, by men and women along the 

 banks of the streams; one-sixth of an inch square is the smallest size of 

 the mesh of the nets that is employed. Fish are also trapped to a small 

 extent in irrigated fields during the rains. Nets, traps, and weirs are 

 used for inland fishing. 



