xn 



fish increased in numbers, and tlie lisliermen become accustomed 

 to the system. As already stated, the attempt was made in this 

 district, but had to be abandoned on financial grounds." [ I must 

 here point out that other local reasons exist at Labor, the fishery 

 at this place being- let in a pecidiar manner at lis. 2,i?^8 yearly, 

 and the mode was thus described by the 0//iciiitiiiff CoHimissiouer 

 in February 187II; "The lease is current for the financial j'car, and 

 is put up annually to auction. It embraces the Deg nullah, the 

 river Ravi, and the jhils and creeks connected with those rivers. 

 Zemindars owning land on the rivers' bank may, without hindrance 

 from the lessee, catch fish for their own consumption, but they are 

 not allowed to sell any fish. Practically al-o, any one may fish with 

 a hook, provided only he does not sell the fish which he catches. 

 None but fishermen, authorised by the lessee, are allowed to catch fish 

 with a net. The fishermen are well known ; they congregate in a few 

 villages near the river, and carry on their calling in gangs. Each 

 fishing party is aecom])anied by a servant of the lessee, whose duty it is 

 to see that all the fish caught are brought to the mark'et which the le-see 

 has established for the sale of fish at Data Gung Buksh, in the vicinity 

 of Labor, and that none are sold elsewhere by the fishermen. The fish, 

 when broiiglit to the market, are sold wholesale to dealers for what they 

 will fetch. The sale proceeds of fish caught in the Deg are divided 

 equally between the lessee and the fishermen ; but as regards fish 

 caught in the Ravi, the lessee's share of the proceeds is onl^' 4 annas 

 in the rupee, while tljc fisherman's isl^ annas. These rates were, 

 however, altered thus in 1S(5I ; it was agreed that the following- should 

 be the lessee's share : — Fish from the Deg, 85 annas in the rupee ; 

 from the Ravi, 6 1 annas in the rnpee j from other districts, 45 annas 

 in the rupee. Fish are sometimes brought to Labor from Montgomery 

 by rail, and from other districts. Li this ease they are brought to 

 market and sold through the lessee, wdio charges a commission of I5 

 annas a rupee on the sale pioceckls. Li the Labor District, it is 

 cliiefiy from the Deg that fish are caught ; a considerable number 

 are caught from jhils and chuppurs fed from the Deg. These jhils and 

 chuppurs are regarded as the private property of the zemindars, with 

 whom the lessee makes his own arrangement in regard to being 

 allowed to fish in them. * * * Netting in the Ravi is a difficult 

 operation, and is seldom attempted. The fish, which are taken nominally 

 from the Ravi, are caught almost entirely' in the nallas and pools left 

 after the floods of the rainy season have sul)sided." Thus it can 

 hardly be considered that it is simply the fisheries that are let, but 

 fisheries and an octroi duty ou fish that is disposed of. ] One and a quarter 

 of an inch is sug-gested as the proper minimum size at which the mosiies 

 of nets should be li.xed, and there exists no objection to prohibiting the sale 

 of the fry of fishes in the bazars. The Deputy Cummissioner of Giijrau- 

 walla observes, that in the Chenab very young- fish known as ' chahil' 

 are largely caught ; the smallest sized mesh employed is \ of an 

 inch. There would be no difiiculty in regulating the minimum size to be 

 emplo3'ed in future, " but the small meshed nets already in existence 

 would continue to be used until worn out." No objections against 

 prohibiting the sale of the fry of fish are known. 



