Iv 



109. The Acting Collector of Cnnara obscrvod (.Tniinnvv 1 3fli, 1 872), 



the fisheries may he roiiglilyf divided into 

 Cnmlra'"" "'" ''"' ^°"'''''"' "'' tmdvs and running' streams, tlic former exist 



in considerahlc numhcrs and size nhove the 

 Glijlts ; helow the Ghats they are neither so large nor so numerous. Tlie 

 principal rivers in tlic district are the Kalanuddce, Gung-awutfy, Yuddry, 

 and Sirawutty; it is the last named which forms the Geirsoppa falls. 

 Tlicrc arc other small streams where fish arc to he found, hut not in such 

 nund)crs as in the rivers ahove mentioned. The Kalanuddce and Sira- 

 wutty in particular, with their deep jiools and larg-e rocks, afford a shelter 

 for hsh not to he found in smaller streams. There is a g'cneral agreement 

 amongst those who have given their opinions on the suhjcct, that the 

 rivers and nallas, and the greater numher of the tanks, arc the >indo)d)t. 

 ed property of Government. Tanks have hcen constructed hy individuals 

 at (heir own expense; some are attached to temples and other religious 

 cdiliees; the right of private parties to the fish therein contained would, 

 1 aj)])rehend, he admitted. Eut the fish in tanks constructed hy Govern- 

 ment, at the puhlic expense, are morally and legally Government proj)erty. 

 As a further proof, it is stated that Major Peyton has known \n Canar.i, 

 when the tanks became low and likely to diy up, the tehsildars and 

 mamlutdars selling on account of Government the right of catching fish, 

 I3y the jirinciples of the Jns gentium, large rivers belong to all (he 

 people of the cotintry ; in other words, are the property of Government 

 which represents all the ])eople of tlic country, so far as such rights are 

 concerned. Where the fund of wealth is unlimited, it is better to leave 

 the right of using it unlimited ; but where this is not the case (and it 

 is to he presumed all will admit it is not the case with river or tank 

 lishcries), some restricting regulations are necessary. If the above state- 

 ment be correct, the sooner the Legislature takes the fisheries of this 

 district under its cognizance, the better; not only do the fishing class of 

 natives use nets fitted to catch everything, from a quarter of an inch 

 upwards, but they continually kill by poison the whole of the fish in a pool. 

 Tlie bark of certain trees, such as the Cliapal karu, Garooda, Koorada, 

 &e., is pounded and tlirown into the water ; the lisli come to the surface 

 floating on their hacks, and are carried off. If this practice be continued, 

 the rivers of the district will .soon he swejit clear of fish ; a means of 

 innocent sport for some, and of sustenance for many, will be stopjied, and 

 the chance of Government ever deriving any revenue from the fisheries, 

 which, if they were protected, would be quite practicable and might he 

 desirable, will be lost. 



110. In the Alimedabad Collectorate eight native officials have sent 



in returns, and those who have answered the 

 • ?i'''"l';"' f^. Tr.'n ?'"1"'' fi^t question have apparently considered the 



in the Ahmednbnd Collectoriite. „ 1 , „ „ , ' ,, , i ,, i <• 



" number of fishermen as the number or 



castes of fishermen ;" consequently it does not appear how many persons 

 following this employment would be affected hy any new rules. How- 

 ever, it is evident they must be few. The Mamlnldar of Bnskroec to\wx\s 

 the Mahomedans, Purdessee-s, 15hoees, and IJoochas as the fishermen 

 which arc in his district, amongst whom the Bhoees are also emj)loycd 

 as palanquin-bearers and the Boochas as grass-cutters. The local fish 

 markets are not fully supplied ; more could be sold. As regards the pro- 



