(•(•I 



tlie general public will be benefitted, for, as tlio sniiply niiginonts, prices 

 will fnll. However, as tlie native ollloial at Ak3-ab ])illiily remarks, 

 " more could be sold, but if more were bioug-lit to market, the price would 

 fall, and tlien perliaps it would not pay the iisliertnan." Lookiiif^ at both 

 sides of tbe question, one natuially considers— are the fish simply for the 

 good or gain of the fisherman, or to be employed in the most advantageous 

 manner for the benefit of the peoi)le at larg-e? 



378. As a temporary measure, and solely in order to meet stronjy 



local objections, I would not propose to 

 Present proposiiions ns tem- (._^,.,.„ out" at once measures that are certainly 



poi-nrv mcusure to obvmte locnl i • i i , , , 11 » t 



objectious. ^•'"■.V desirable, but to work by degrees, la 



this way I feel sure that eventually the local 

 ofiirers will see tlie necessity or adviintage of conservancy being fully 

 established everywhere, except in tanks which yearly dry up, and after 

 all watery communication with flowing streams has been naturally 

 oit off. I would, therefore, propose as n commencement that (I) no 

 fixed engines of any description be permitted either in rivers, streams, 

 tanks, irrigated fields, or water-courses, unless such are lensed fisheries, 

 whilst it would be very advisable to insist upon 1 inch between the 

 interstices of all substances forming such. These would have to be dealt 

 with at a futtire date, as the fish commence to increase; (2) that a 

 mesh of 1 inch between knot and knot bo the minimum size permitted 

 in any nets employed in free fisheries or along the banks of a,ny river; 

 (3) nets and weirs for the capture of prawns might be exempted, pro- 

 vided the latter did not extend above 30 feet in length, such distance 

 not being more than one quarter of the breadth of the river, at low 

 water, at the jilace where they are being used; (4) that poisoning of 

 waters to obtain fish be strictly prohibited. 



379. The answers to the questions on Burmese fisheries, circulated 



at my request by General Fytche in 18(i!), 



Answers to questions circula- 1 „..„.. 4. 1 ... ■ ' 1 /c? t i 



ted in 1869 nol yet received. have not as yet been received (September 



1872), which IS to be regretted. 



380. The CAief Commissioner of British Burma (]\Ir. Eden) 



prnpost-d (April 4th, 1872) that in future, 

 Proposals of Chief Commis- ,,,,^ , ;, f,si,e,ies, " no lessee of a lake 



fishery, nor any person licensed to use nets 

 and (raps in rivers, shall use a net having a mesh of less than 4 inches 

 in circumference, Ihat is, 1 inch from knot to knot, nor any weir having 

 less than 1 inch between the bamboos, rattan, reed, or other substance 

 of which such weir is composed. Provided that this shall not apply to 

 the use of weirs of not more than 30 feet in length, or \ the brendth 

 of the stream or river in which they are placed, whichever may be 

 the shorter, where such weirs are used solely for the purpose of catching 

 prawns." Dams to be prohibited. Subsequently (July lOth, 1872) the 

 Officiating Secretary to the Chief Commissioner oljserved, — " the report of 

 the Committee of experienced ofiicers to the efiect that the prohibition 

 contained in sections 18 and 19 (above) of the provisional rules would 

 necessitate the entertainment of an expensive establishment of inspect- 

 ors, and that a considerable loss of, revenue would be occasioned thereby, 

 seemed to the Chief (Commissioner sufficient grounds for modifying 

 these sections." The Committee observed, (list, as regards the miuimuin 



