cli 



ofT the portion lielow, and Mkmi (nliinpf out, (lio larg'fir fisli, wln'Io tliosnnallor 

 are left to perisli. I tlo not tliink the estahhshment of a close season would 

 meet with any opposition. At the spawning' season fish are considered 

 impure and scarecly fit for food, and it is only the very (loorcst part of the 

 population that makes use of fish at that season. There would be little 

 didiculty in the introduction of a fixed close season, and this would greatly 

 protect the fishiiiiT interests.* * I think a close season from 15th June to 

 1st November would give a fair time for spawning-, and the g'rowth of the 

 young fry. The mesh I would recommend should be one inch and a half- 

 from knot to knot, or perhaps even two inches. * * Small rewards for 

 crocodiles' eggs would aid in the extermination of those reptiles, and this 

 could be easily arranged for." The Assiitdtit Collector of Mccrut reported 

 that " as little fishing is carried ou in the rains, the destruction of breed- 

 ing-fish and fry is not very great. No doubt, there is considerable destruc- 

 tion, for all fish, breeding or not, are, when caught, killed without distinc- 

 tion." DitTiculties would exist in regulating the minimum size of the mesh 

 of nets, and is "opposed to Govern men t doing any thing, especiall}' as regards 

 fry, because the subordinate native ollicersand the police being high-caste 

 men amongst the Hindu population, it would rest with persons, quite 

 unaccpiaintcd with distinctions in classes of fish, to decide as to what is 

 fry and what was not, while we may be sure that considerable oppression 

 would be exercised." The Collector of Moznfj'urnnggnr (March 29th, 

 1872) reported — (1) that there is no limit to thesize of mesh employed, but 

 that nets having very small meshes are used mainly for fishing jhils and 

 jionds, and nets witi\ larger meshes for river-fishing; (2) that nature practi- 

 cally j)rovides a close season for fish during the monsoon ; (3) that the con- 

 sumption of fish in the district is not excessive, aTid consequently, the 

 destruction of small fry does not appear to take place systematically. 

 " Except occasioiudly, when fields are flooded in the rains, there does not 

 seem anywhere, or at any time, to be any wholesale destruction of small 

 fry;" sees no practical difficulty in regulating the minimum size of the 

 meshes of nets, or prescribing a close season, but does not consider such 

 necessary in his district. 



329. The Officiating Commis.noiier of liohilcnnd observes, — " I 

 regret it is a subject to which I have never 



• ?,''',?-'r"'"i'' '="™l"^"" ^"""^'"'^ turned my attention, and that my own views 

 in Konilcuim. iii"^ i i-i it 



would be worth ]icrhaps but little, but I 



must state that whatever small degree of evil there may be existing 

 from the present mode of cateliing (isli, it is infinitesimal as compared 

 with the greater evil of instituting at ])resent any remedial measures. 

 Any legal enactments prohibiting fishing at certain seasons, or the use 

 of nets with meshes under a certain size, and the measures and means by 

 which the law would have to be enforced, would be most annoying, 

 irritating, and dangerous. The size and areas of water in the maia 

 streams of India are so great, that the amount offish taken out is 

 nothing as compared with the stock remaining, and they need no protec- 

 tion. The inland streams and nallas, drainage lines, and tanks are 

 generally liable to be dried up in the hot season ; and unless we believe 

 in the popular idea, that daring such seasons the fish hide themselves 

 deep in the mud, the catching and eating of the small fish, or ' fry, ' 

 as it is called, is ouly bringing to use an article of food otherwise to be 



