Ixxvi 



Uial at tlio lirsL llic |irice of fish will bo raised to pay the rent, Imt as 

 lish augment, it must lull.] 'I'lie Collector also roporled that there are a 

 tew zeiniiulary estates over wiiich Government do not possess the rig'lit 

 of fishing'. There would be an objection to leasing out tisheries in tanks 

 and channels employed for irrigation and drinking purposes, as they 

 would be spoilt by using nets in them, as it would continually stir uji 

 the mud and I'oul the water, li' fisheries are let, they should be for at 

 least three year.s at a time. There is one irrigation weir at Dowlaishwerani 

 across the Godaveri river. At first alter its construction the take of fish 

 below it was enormously increased, and diminished above; this efTect 

 continues to the almcjst total destruction of the fisheries above the weir; 

 below it the large takes continue as the ascent of fish is arrested. 

 fTlicro is apparently some error in this answer, as the same ollicial observed 

 on September 11th, 18C7. — " The fishermen say that they do not catch 

 the sable in such aljundanee now as they used to do, immediately after the 

 anient was built," and the result of personal investigations was the same. 

 The Herd. Dr. Miirphij wrote, in 18(j8, that the fish had decidedly 

 decreased since 1861, and one of the causes was, "the universal and un- 

 restricted capture of the fry in the rivers and irrigation channels."] 

 That young lish arc largely destroyed, the size of the mesh of the nets 

 being' very small ; but there would be considerable difficulty in regulating 

 its minimum size in fisheries which are rented out, but were such done, 

 fishermen should have six months' notice. There is no reason against 

 prohibiting all fishing, except with hooks and lines, within 100 yards 

 of all anieuts, weirs, dams, locks, or masonry works extending aeros.s 

 streams or canals of fresh water. 



15^. The Acting Head Assistaul Collector of' the Kislnn Diatrict 



observed (October 21st, 1807) that fish ascend 



Opiniou of tlio Collector of j,^^, Kistna river, alter the freshes arc over, 



the Kistiiii Distriet. , ,11 1 j xt 1 



as clear water Hows, or about INovenilier. 

 Prior to the construction of the Ik-zwada weir which s])ans it, tlicy 

 ascended in large nundjer to 50 miles higher up where they spawned ; 

 now the shoals arc arrested. The local lishermou employ small nets, 

 but those from Dowlaishwerani Ining- some 3 or 100 yards long, and 

 lij to 11 feet deep, and the largest (juantities arc taken in the deep 

 pools below the weir, the net being tlist ilistencd or fixed at one end, 

 then taken round a wide sweep, and gradually drawn in. 'i'lie sabli; 

 is locally termed 'yekkudi chakka ' from its perseverance in attempting 

 to surmount the weir and ascend the river, from the Telugu word 

 'yekku' to climb. Unable to pass, the whole shoal is taken at the weir, 

 cither by nets or hanging baskets near the edge of the water, so that 

 those which jump fall into them. The fishermen unanimously assert 

 that these lish do not si)awn between the weir and the sea. " I do not 

 think it would be possible to contrive any means to enable the fish to 

 ascend, without interfering with the damniiMg up of the river water, which 

 in Novendier and December is necessary to ensure the rice crop." The 

 Executive Emjineer (November 5th, 18G7) observed, "the shoals iif Palasa 

 come ui) from Octolier to April, while the river is low. * * * The iish 

 could easily pass through the under-sluices, [^tliis is a mistake; they are 

 unable to pass through, even if they were open], but when the river is 

 low, il- is of impiirlauee that these should be k(4it dosed during' the 



