clii 



lost. As stated before, for political reasons, I tliiuk the time Las not 

 arrived for interference, nor do I think any decrease of food-supply 

 has been proved, which should call for repressive measures. " Tlie 

 Collector of Biiduoit (February 23rd, lS7ii) reported, — " There is no doubt 

 that fish of every age, and in any condition, are captured in this district 

 in every season. I am not aware that there is any season especially 

 selected for this puiposc. 'I'hey are taken with drag-nets and casting- 

 nets, in baskets, anil by damming up the shallow beds of rivers, leaving 

 a passage through which tlie lisli must pass, when they are without 

 difheulty caught. I liavo seen nets with meshes of3-i0lhsot' an inch 

 between the knots, and I have no doubt smaller ones are used. I have 

 seen baskets where the interval between the straws is not more than the 

 thickness of curdljoard. * * Very small iisli are taken in the rains, and 

 also at other seasons. \Mienever water drains off the land or out of 

 streams, the water-holes are emi)tied of all the fish they contain. Nets 

 with mcslies 3-lOthB of an incli and baskets are used for lisiiing, and 

 very small iishes are thus caiitured." " The classes who fish for pri)fit 

 are cliielly Kahars and Bhatiaras." The markets are slated to be fairly 

 supplied with fish, wliich is eaten by all except the higher castes of 

 Hindus. Tlie sujjply in the waters " is said to have decreased within 

 the last few years " " It ajjpears to me that although complete protec- 

 tion to fish could not be allbrded in tlic l)reeding season, j'ct tliat snlficicnt 

 )u-otcctiou might lie adbrded to ensure a future supi)ly." A close season 

 is considered possiljle in the larger rivers, as fish ascend to de))osit their 

 spawn, and " the size of the mesh might be restricted to (5-1 Uths or S-lDlhs 

 of an inch." But these measures, it is considered, would necessitate 

 the keeping up of an estaljlishment for the purpose. The Ojjic'uiliug 

 Collector of ShaJijehonpur (February 2 lib, 1872) observed, — " I have 

 seen very small fiy caught during and after the rains, by placing- 

 strips of sirkee or other similar matting across water-courses, and at out- 

 lets of jiiils. All fish of whatever size caught in the nets are used for 

 food. Tlie supply is less in the winter than other months.'' " If IMay, 

 June, and July were made close mouths, the supply of fish would l)e 

 likely to increase. Zemindars could usually put a stop to fishing in 

 their villages, if they exerted themselves, but it would reipiire a special 

 law to enforce their duties." The Collector, in 1868, stated "he is of 

 opinion that an imposition of duty on fish would be the best course 

 to protect them, and prevent any wanton destruction." ^Levying a 

 duty or license on nets has a])parentl)i commenced to have this effect 

 in the Tanjab^ The Collector of B/Jnoiir (18t)9) reported that a wanton 

 destruction of fish is carried on to a certain extent in the Rivers llam- 

 gunga and Khoh, by means of stake-nets, stretching from baidc to bank. 

 lie recommended licensing nets, and regulating the mininiiuu mesh at 

 1^ inches between each knot. The Collector, in answer to the ijuestions 

 circulated (ISFareli 2nd, 1872), answered, as to whether bree<ling-llsh and 

 very young ones are destroyed to any great extent,—" I cannot speak from 

 luy own experience, but from tlie reports furnished by the Telisildars in an- 

 swer to the questions put to them, I think there can be no doubt that fishing 

 is carried on all the year round, and that all fish that are caught are used ; 

 neither breeding-fish nor any young ones can escape." The mesh of nets is 

 so small no fish can pass ; does " not see how it would be possible to regulate 



