ccx 



fielils, liikes, ponds, or jhih, and everywhere l>y nets and traps, and 

 by emptying water from the hollows during- tlie rains. This practice 

 might be stopped with advant;ige/' The following are the taxed 

 nets used in the fresh and back waters of this district : — (1) Ilmyaw- 

 paik, each piece GO feet long and 18 deep, with a mesh from 1 to 4 

 inches square; these are diift-nets; (2) Kijee-doung , very similar to the 

 last; (^) Laigwoiqialk, GO feet long, 15 deep, with meshes of 3 or 

 4 inches sipiare, and are fixed in shallow parts of rivers and across 

 streams; (1) N(ja-tha-louk-paik — these are east-nets employed from a 

 ■ boat, and used for the purpose of talcing the shad as they ascend the 

 rivers for breeding purposes; (5) Ngin-paik, GO X 18 feet, 2 to 3 

 inches square ill the mesh, and used from boats; (6) Paik-gi/ee, Tb io \2Q 

 feet long, and about 38 feet deep at the mouth, witli meshes from ^ 

 an inch to G inches square ; these are fixed in the shallow parts of the 

 bay and in rivers ; (7) Faik-tsooii-kyoo, from 30 to 30 feet long, and 

 about the same depth at the mouth, with a mesh from ^ an inch to 

 4 inches square ; sometimes they are used as fixtures, at other times 

 dragged in the streams and creeks ; (8) Tsein-jiaik, in one set of six traps 

 (cruives), 37^ feet long and 9 to 12 wide at the opening, and composed 

 of split bamboo fastened close together ; these bamboo traps are fastened 

 to posts fixed in the rivers and creeks ; (9) Tshway-palk-gyee or Palh- 

 htouk-gi/ee, from 1,200 to 2,400 feet long, 18 deep, and meshes of 2 or 3 

 inches square ; they are drag-nets ; (10) Tshwaij-palk-galay are also drag- 

 nets, 120 X G feet, with meshes 1 or 2 inches square; (11) Yim-dwhi-paik, 

 stationary nets in the rivers, about 30 feet square bagnets, and \ to 4 

 inches square in the meshes. Irrespective of the foreg'oing- taxed nets, the 

 untaxed contrivances for capturing fish are rods and lines, traps and small 

 nets in fields, and also in shallow streams by means of bamljoo weirs. 



387. In the Ramree District, the native official reports that there 



are about 50 fishermen, including those who 



Opiiiiou of native omcial of i i i\ t j- r 



P^^^.^g use baml)oo scoops; the greater portion of 



the cultivators likewise use these scoops 



during the rains. The markets are fully supplied, but the amount of 



fish in the water has slightly decreased. Very small fish are taken in 



considerable quantities, in comparison with the extent of the fresh waters, 



by making dams, with bamboo traps and scoops; the minimum mesh 



employed is \ an inch, but a coarse cloth is used for small nets. Bushes 



are also placed in side streams, and when fish have taken refuge in them, 



they are surrounded by nets. 



388. In the Saudoioay District, the three native officials reply 



that very few of the fishermen make fishing 

 Opiuion of native official of their sole occupation, there being no local 



markets; hsiiing is only carried on to supply 

 personal requirements ; however, the price of fish is given at from 8 to 

 24 lbs. weight the rupee. The whole population eat fish, the amount ol 

 which is believed to have remained stationary. Very small fish arc 

 taken, as the river rises during the rains, by men and women along the 

 banks of the streams; one-sixth of an inch square is the smallest size ol 

 the mesh of the nets that is employed. Fish are also trapped to a small 

 extent in irrigated fields during the rains. Nets, traps, and weirs an 

 used for inland fishing. 



