11 



Jation seasoiij are termed ' Boodhs' wliilst ' Dhunds' will lie allmled to 

 in Siiulc. Besides these rivcis and streams large irrigation works are 

 being or have been constructs ! in the province. 



2. Of the people of tli Panjab, but few comparatively are abso- 

 „ , ,. „ ,, „ . , l.itely iirohibited by their religion from coii- 



those ill towns 01- in liilla b-mii- sumuig lisli ; stdl there are many Hindus, 

 er cousuiners of fish thiiii ilioso particularly large zemindars, who have scruples 

 iu ruval distncts. qjj j^ljy subject, and these re-aet npou the 



general rural population (always more superstitious than an urban one, 

 and therefore more amenable to priestly craft), especially those depend- 

 ant on and living around them. Thus the ' Deputy Commissioner oi' 

 Delhi' observed (1870) of the people of the district, "none of the Hindu 

 zemindars eat fish, whilst the Mahomedaus are very much Ilinduised in 

 their habits. Hindu zemindars object on religious grounds to fish being- 

 caught in their villajie waters, and hotly contend with any Delhi fish- 

 ermen caught poaching in their village ponds." But of those residing 

 in towns and in the hilly districts, it ajipears as if, excluding the Brah- 

 mins, the consumption of (ish is only limited by the paucity of tin' 

 supply and the cost of the article. 



3. In 1869-70 an enquiry was made into the fisheries of this pro- 



vince, as to whether a wasteful destruction ol' 

 Enquiry iu 1869-70 as to fj^j^ ^.^g taking pkice, and, if so, the besi 



whetlier a wastulul (Icstiuction , ,. .^ . i c • • j? 



of fish existed. Prohibition of means to dunniish any causes of injury tor 

 fixed engines, and the damming the future. The various reports gave the 

 of hill streams. Intioduetion impression that a large amount of immature 

 of a license system lor nets, c i i i ii i ^ r i i c ii 



Chilwa nets "^'^ were yearly kuleil tor tood belore they 



had been permitted to attain a fair size; and 

 that this destruction was in many places being effected in GovernmenI 

 waters, which had, or had not, been leased out for fishing piu'poses : con- 

 sequently action was taken on the matter. In the Kangra valley tin 

 system of catching fish by means of dams, weirs, and stake-nets wa^ 

 prohibited, as being the cliief cause of the destruction and diminution ol 

 the fish in the narrow hill streams, whilst throughout the Panjab a licensi 

 for nets was ordered to be introduced gradually into localities where nci 

 revenue ^^'as derived from fisheries ; the only description of net sanctioned 

 being that which could be thrown from or held iu the hand, the meshes ol 

 which were not less than 1^ inches between knot and knot, or 5 iuchc:^ 

 all round. The license tax was proposed at Rs. 5 yearly for large nets 

 and lis. % for small ' Chilwa' nets (see para. 13), but a discretion wa; 

 left as to the amount with the local civil antborities. It was remarkcM 

 that ' Chilwa' nets were not approved of, as such might be emi)loyed ii 

 taking the young of large fish. The license empowers the holder to fisi 

 generally, whether in Government waters or on private estates. Poi 

 fishing iu Government waters no further fee would be jjayable, but <• 

 enable him to fish on private estates, the bolder woidd have to make hi 

 own arrangement with the landowner. By this plan, every person win 

 professed to fish would require to hold a license. The license could on]\ 

 extend to fisliing by net, and some officials insert in it tin 

 minimum size of the mesh that may be used; others have the net 

 brought to be inspected at the time the license is issued. 



