Ixxxi 



brcediiijj fisli to e5cn]ic io the son, ns so fully uiulei'stood by tlic Collector 

 of 'I'liiijur in (lio l;is(, jiMiii. Sdippiiii,'' fisliiiif,'' duriiif;' fbu periods spccilicd 

 would a]i])oar to show most conclusively that the sahle fisli now no longer 

 conies into this Collectoiate during the freshes, as it did prior to the con- 

 struction of the lower Coleroon weir.] The Acting Collector continues, 

 " I agree with the Hoard in thinking, at present, no restrictions as lo the 

 size of the meshes are necessary or desirable." f As the supply of fish 

 in this, for the south of India, well-watered district, is said to be " very 

 limited," whereas it was formerly abundant, it is to be regretted that the 

 period at which restrictions are proposed to be commenced has not bceu 

 recorded.! 



157. The Collector of C>/(Mapa/i (July 2Uh, 18G9) reported that 



as the average rainfall of the district is only 

 C»d('l!>"nh "^ "'" ^''""'''°' °^ 17 inches, and the rivers and taidcs annually 



dry up, there are next to no fish. Consequent- 

 ly it does not appear necessary to record any other reply to Ur. Day's string 

 of questions. No revenue has ever been attempted to be raised here from 

 fish, nor is Cudda])ah once mentioned in his reports. (]The question is 

 not one of revenue, but of food supply. The reason the district is not 

 mentioned by me, is due to not having as yet had the opportunity of per- 

 sonally examining it; but it is to be regretted the Collector has not given 

 his personal experience by reidyiiig to the questions on its lisli and fish- 

 eries.] On November 1st, 18G'J, the same officer observed that there are 

 no fisheries to speak of in the district; so he has taken no measures on 

 the Government orders respecting letting thorn; and on March 7th, 1872, 

 that there arc no jierennial streams in his collcctoratc, and with but few ex- 

 ceptions no water in any tank all the year round ; consequently there are 

 few fish and no moans of improving the breed. Legislation is uncalled for ; 

 and therefore he had considered it unnecessary to collect the information 

 which has been called for, 



158. The Collector of Kurnal (February 25th, 1809) reported that 



the chief rivers in his district arc a part of 

 Opinkmsnf European omcials ^j Ristna, a part of the Toongbhudra, the 

 111 the Kurnal Lollectorate. \ n ,-, i ■ i -Vi ii 



Ilindry, and five others whicli, witli tlic exccji- 



tion of the two first, dry up more or less during the hot season. There is 

 a long extent of the Kistna which has no villages on its banks, and which 

 is never fished in. Tiiis reach may be looked on as a large breeding 

 place, which is seldom approached by man, and where the fish are undis- 

 turbed. " I would deprecate in the strongest terms any measures being 

 taken by Government to interfere witb the fish-supply of the inha- 

 bitants of this district. The only way in which Government could inter- 

 fere, would be by means of an establishment of subordiuates who would 

 avail themselves of their authority to practise extortion and oppress the 

 ))Oor, who are generally the only people who fisli, and never really repress 

 the destruction of fish. If anything could repress their destruction to 

 any extent, it would be the forbidding to catch fish with roe. But this 

 would be tantamount to depriving the people of a wholesome and pleasant 

 diet, and interfere with the great traffic in fish roes which now takes 

 place. Some fish, too, are only good for eating when heavy with roe, such 

 as the sable, caught extensively by means of baskets hung over the water as 

 it falls over the Toongbhudra weir. I would strongly recommend leaving 



/ 



