li 



101. The Collector of KaMg I. reported (March 1st, 1S72) thnt it is 



helicvcd brce(lin<j (ish nncl very yoiiiifr ones 



Ka"mi"i™ "'' "" ^°"''"''"' "^ '^^•'' ?"t destroyed (o any ffrent extent in his 



district, but the smallest size of the mesh 

 of the nets is al)oiit C(]nal to a grain of wheat. There are no persons 

 who are strictly fishermen, nor are there any eonsidcrahle flslieries, and, 

 were the size of the mesh of the nets regnlated in future, it would 

 |)r(ilial)ly he diflicult to detect any infring-ement, as it would not be easy 

 (o discover in which part of the river the jieople were nettinfj-. Beyond 

 (his, there is no rcnson why the size of the meshes of the nets should 

 no! ho rc<Tulatcd, and half an inch between each knot is jiroposed as the 

 niinimmn size. Fry of fish are said not to lie sold in tlie baznrs. 



1U5. The Acting Collector of S/wlnpnr reported (l\Iay 21th, 1871) 



that there are 1-wo rivers in the district, the 



Sholnjur." "'" "'" '^'""'''''"' "' Bhecma and the Seona. The right to net fish 



in these rivers or in other ])laecs is not sold 

 bj' auction, because of their not containing fish enough to render it 

 worth while for people to become purchasers. Subsequently (February 

 7th, 1872) he reported that fishermen take every sort and size of fish 

 without distinction, tliat no restriction exists as to the size of the mesh 

 of the nets employed, and he does not recommend any for (he future, 

 as additional police would be necessary, and tlie necessity for such a 

 prohibition is not apparent to him. 



lOG. The Collector of Bel gaum reported (May 25th, 1871) that 



fish in aljundance, but for the most iinrt small 



iu^i!!;:!;:;;::.!^ C^:oi;::!?f'^ -<\"f i,.consideral,le value, are caught in the 



Miilpurhha, iamhraparni, Gataprabha, and 

 Markundya rivers. As regards fisheries, the respective rights of Govern- 

 ment and of private parties have never been determined. Neither 

 Government nor private individuals reserve rights, and the inhabitants 

 of a-ny of the villages on the banks of the rivers are in the liabit of 

 catching the fish for their own consumption. The Collector subsequently 

 (]\Iarch 19th, 1872) submitted a report compiled from information 

 furnished by the First Assistant, the Assislant Collector, and Dc]Hi(y 

 Collector, who are several)}' in cliarge of districts. He observed that 

 there would appear from the various reports to be no diflicuKy 

 in regulating the size of the meshes of the nets used, ruling that 

 none smaller should be employed except for prawns and " morce" 

 fishing. INIoreover, by doing this, there would be no inconvenience caused 

 to fishermen. There exists no objection against prohibiting the sale of 

 the fry of fi.sh in the bazars. The First A/s,iistant Collector observes 

 that breeding and young fish are not systematically destroyed, althotigh 

 fisiicrmcn have no eompmiction in slnughlering' tlicm when they come 

 to hand. In conscfpience, however, of the Muipurbha, the only river of 

 any size in the district, being flooded dtning the rainy season, (Ishing is 

 suspended at this time, which is the breeding period for fish : conscqiieiitly 

 they become spared to a certain extent. Breeding fish and young ones 

 are caught in nets, and no fishennan ever thinks of throwing them 

 back on account of their condition or puny size ; (be (ishcruicn in the 

 villiiges on the brinks of the rivers throughout (lie district bcin<;- ecpinlly 

 glad to catch them at any time in li;iidiiig their nets. Bottom-lishing 



