ccxv 



of fish. Is not satisfied that a diminution of fish has been proved, or 

 that if it exists, such can have been caused by destroying the breeding 1 

 ones and their fry ; therefore sees no necessity for legislation, but if 

 decided that something- is to be done, a short close season would be the 

 least objectionable and unpopular form it would take. The Head 

 Assistant Collector replies that it has been shown that " fish of all ages 

 and sizes, clean or otherwise, are taken at all seasons," whilst as to 

 regulating the minimum size of the mesh of nets he sees "no difficulty. 

 The fishermen are all known ; and their nets can be inspected when 

 being used or being dried/' He ventures, " however, to express an 

 opinion that a case for the legislature interfering with the capture 

 and sale of fish has not been made out. Salmon decreased in British rivers 

 from two main causes — (1) the pollution by manufactories, (2) from 

 the increased demand. [ This opinion is correct, yet incorrect, except 

 that (1) the pollution of rivers was one of the causes of decrease 

 of fish, but (2) the increased demand can hardly be given as the 

 only other, unless that such led, due to the baneful absence of 

 proper regulations, to every poaching practice being resorted to ; each 

 owner of a fishery " sought to do what he liked with his own part of 

 the river, and often selfishly resorted to weirs, dams and fixed engines, 

 with the view of driving every living inhabitant of the waters into 

 his own net, regardless of the impoverishment of his neighbour." 

 " The decay of the fisheries having then become conspicuous, it was 

 necessary for the legislature to intervene on the ground of* public policy, 

 and with an eye to the benefit of all parties, to restrain the suicidal 

 policy of the riparian owners, making it no longer possible for each 

 to do what seemed good in his own eyes." Fixed engines were 

 considered the chief cause of this injury in many places.] The Acting 

 Sub-Collector (24th April 1872) reported that breeding-fish and very 

 young ones are destroyed to a great extent. The fishermen catch them 

 at all times and in any way they can, but most of all in the hot 

 season, when the Kistna is fordable in many places. "In riding 

 through fishing villages on the coast, I have often seen numerous 

 large heaps of fish of the very smallest size. I have no doubt but 

 that the villagers mainly live on them in some seasons, and sell their 

 larger fish. If small fish are caught in such quantity on the coast, I 

 see no reason to doubt but that the same thing goes on in the 

 fresh waters." In Guntur the salesmen considered the markets fully 

 supplied. £The Tehsildar, p. xcv, reported the markets as very 

 insufficiently supplied, and re-states it now : also that the amount in 

 the waters had decreased. ] No wasteful destruction of fish occurs, 

 except the use of the young as food. " It is not used at all as manure, 

 or only to a very small extent." 



397. The Collector of South Canara (September 9th, 1872) re- 

 Reply from the Collector of P lied tnat the first six questions have been 

 South Canara, and his draft answered (see paragraphs 167 and 168.) For- 

 Fishery Act. tunately the use of nets is practically prevented 



during the first two months of the monsoon, owing to the violence of the 

 floods. The process of spawning is also spread over many months out 

 of the twelve, and angling is impracticable at some of the periods in 

 question, as mahaseer, at any rate, will not take a bait when the water 



