Ixiv 



prefer salt-flsli to fresli. Even at Bellaiy tliore appears to be a good 

 demand for salt-lisli, but iu a few of the inland talookas it cannot be sold. 

 This seems to have reference in some places to the proportion and caste 

 of the Hindus. 



128. Are the markets well supplied? Along the coasts and in places 

 within easy reach of the sea they would 



ie^u" 'suwlta"'"'''''' '"'"'"" so;;mtobcso, but not inland. Out of 30 

 "™ y " ' 'IVhsildars of Collectorates not, or only slight- 



ly, bordering on the sea, the following are the replies, that the markets 

 are suflieiently supplied in 4 : insullieieutly or hardly, if at all, in 35. 



12'.). llaiie the Jisk in the fresh waters increased, decreased, or remain- 

 ed stationari/ ? Omitting vague answers, 61 

 Fish supply iu the watcLs has rp^ij^iuiars' replies have been received ; they 



are as lollows : — b report an nicrease in tlie 

 amount in their talookas ; 46 either a large decrease or a decrease ; and 

 12 that the supply remains stationary, or else that no decrease is perceived 

 this year. 



130. IVhosearc the fisheries ? is a question adverted to by some of 



the reporters, and it appears to be almost uni- 

 Fishciies Oovcnimcut pio- yersally considered that those existing in inland 

 ^'' ^' waters, with a few exceptions, are Government 



property, but doubts are entertained by the Revenue Board whether the 

 " sanction of a legal enactment may not be necessary to enable the Gov- 

 ernment tfi interfere with the exercise of practices which long custom may 

 have convc'ted into communal rights." fPaterson, ' Fishery Laws of 

 Great Britniu,' observes of persons who claim right of fishing due to long- 

 custom — " no length of time during which such acts are capable of being 

 explained on the ground of license, can prevent the owner putting an 

 end to such license. lie may resume his original rights at any moment 

 and withdraw the license, for no man ought to have his rights abridged 

 by acting liberally towards the public or his neighbours."] How and 

 when numbers of the (ishery rents ceased to be collected is adverted to iu 

 para. 146. 



131. The fishermen, as a rule, are the agriculturists, palanquin- 



_ „ , .., , 1 i- bearers, small traders, coolies, and others, who 



The fishermen, with but few ' ^. . -1 i ^ i • 



exceptions, only, fullow this carry on this pursuit when not engaged in 

 occupation iu addition to their their Ordinary avocations, and as there are no 

 usual work. restrictions, tlieir only idea is to obtain what 



they can, when they can. Were all the fisheries ruined, it would not 

 pecuniarily affect them, except to a secondary degree, as their living is not 

 dependant upon fishing. In some districts, as Rajahmundry, Chingle- 

 put, Combaconum, and a portion of Coimbatore, some few persons exist, 

 who appear to be entirely dependant on this occupation. 



132. Are breeding fish destroyed, and, if so, how.'' In every dis- 



trict this can be said to be carried on. 

 Breeding fish are destroyed .j^^^^; J] J,, ^ne of the four following 



hy irngatiou wens arresting tlicir i i •' tt j • • i • • i • i i i • 



progress, being trapped whilst manners: — /'/««, irrigation weirs wliicli detain 

 ascending to breed or returning bleeding fish ascending Or descending, and 

 to the rivers, by weirs and other Ucir being allowed to be netted at those 



fixed engiues, and by poison. ,P , ., , i ii 



jiiaces; this seems to be considered unavoiclaljie, 

 due to the want of fish passes. Irrigation canals, where there are deep 



