Ixxxv 



1G3. The CoUc'lor of North Arcnt (October 2f.Hi, 1S09) obsorvea 

 llial t.licrc arc no perennial rivers in liis district, 



Opinions of the Collectors ^„,, y,^, t^,,,^^^ ^^^.j ^j^^ ]„,. egfc ^,^ ^.Jthcr dry OF 



so low at intervals oi two and three years that 

 'ver}^ full in tlicm, g'roat and small, is caught. lie continues, "I 

 have collected materials with a view of subniittin"' my views on 



I ho whole subject at an early date" [not forwarded.] The Acting 

 dollrrtor (June Glh, 1872) reports, "that there are no perennial 

 rivers in this district, and that the tanks arc either dry or so low at 

 intervals that nearly every fish in them, great and small, is caught. 



I I has, however, been ascertained that there is no wanton destruction of 

 lish in this district.'" 



103. The Collector of South Arcot (January 6th, 1870) replies 

 that as the streams for the greater part 

 Opinions of tho Collectors of f ^,,g .^,.g ^i^^^^^ entirely dry, be does 



South Arcot. J t i i- i ■ /• i • 



not see any actual need tor estaljiishing hshnig 

 tnonopolics. In this district tanks are leased permanently at a fixed 

 annual rent, and the villages, where such leases exist, enjoy a common 

 fishery pnttab in recognition of this right. There are seven irrigation 

 weirs in the district, but is not aware whether, as a rule, fish have or 

 have not decreased above them. Fish arc caught and disposed of 

 indiscriminately, and those of small size are never let go. Doubtless, 

 the jiriiportion of small fish caught to large ones is great by comparison. 

 The average size of the meshes of nets cmjiloyed is about one inch sipiare, 

 and it would be practical)le to make the size of the mesh of the net a 

 condition in all leased fisheries ; one year's clear notice should bo given. 

 There would be no dilliculty in prohibiting fishing within 100 yards of 

 all weirs, and no doubt it would prevent the wholesale destruction of 

 fish where such now takes place periodically. The Suh-Colleclor 

 (November 10th, 1867) observes that the only sea-fish which ascend the 

 Coleroon in any numbers are the shad and the mullet, termed madavai, 

 the former arriving from May until August, and, being arrested by the 

 lower weir, are captured there; the madavai (mullets) s]iawn from 

 October to December, and ascend the Coleroon from September to 

 April. 



ICk T\\Q Acting Collector of TinnevelH (February 22ud, 1870) 

 replied that, as far as protection of fish in 



Opinion of Enroiicaii ofticml ,1 • 1 i * • • 1 1 



intllcTinnevclUcJllcutor.te. t'O'H .'•'^'^.•■''' ^^^'^ estuaries is rcrpiircd, lie 



would institute a close season, to vary in 

 different districts, of two months in each j'ear, during which all fishing 

 should be prohibited ; and in his CoUcctorate June and July are proposed 

 for rivers and back-waters, and from the 15tli of October to the 1.5tli of 

 December for tanks. The indiscriminate and unfair way of taking 

 fish at the various irrigation weirs when the water becomes low, it is 

 ]noposed, should be entirely jnohibited, and no net fishing be permitted 

 witliin 200 yards of them, whilst fish ladders should be constructed. 

 The meshes of thenets emploj'cd varies from two to four inches in circum- 

 ference. If close months were adopted, regulating the minimum size 

 of the mesh of the casting nets, it is considered, would be unnecessary. 

 " AViiat I would jiut down entirely is the use of baskets and traps, whereby 

 lai'i'-e numbers of lish are taken iu a most unfair and destructive 



