IX 



of ' mahaseer* of less than one pound in weight; to establish breeding- 

 tanks in connection with the canals ; and by gratings or otherwise to pre- 

 vent the fish from going down the irrigation canals. 



The Commissioner of the PesMwar Division observes, that he does 

 not think fishermen do so much injury to "the 



PesMwar Division. Opinions fi sn i n his district as he has seen done in 



rivers down country; still he considers that it 

 would be very right to give the fish a better 

 chance of multiplying by insisting on the stoppage of all kinds of fishing 

 during the close months, for carrying out which no separate establish- 

 ment is advised. -The size of the mesh of nets might be regulated to 

 protect the fry, which, however, are not taken to any extent by the people 

 of the country; but the Hindustani and Panjabi kahars in the military 

 stations make for themselves casting nets with which they catch ( chilwas/ 

 The Deputy Commissioner of Peshawar states, that breeding fish and very 

 young ones are destroyed in his district to a great extent, and at all sea- 

 sons, by means of nets, fish-hooks and sheets, in the Indus, Cabul and 

 Swat rivers, and in Lotaie and Barah streams and the Boodnee canal, the 

 smallest size of the mesh of the nets being \ of an inch between 

 knot and knot. No difficulties would exist in regulating the minimum 

 size to be employed, which he proposes should be ^ of an inch for small 

 fish, and 1 inch for large sorts. There would be no objection to prohibit- 

 ing the sale of the fry of fish in the bazars. The Deputy Commissioner 

 of Hazara gives the smallest size of the mesh of the nets employed at 

 about } of an inch square. If the minimum size were regulated, it would 

 give rise to irritation amongst a border population, and require an estab- 

 lishment to see it carried out ; but fishing might be prohibited for two 

 months without much inconvenience. The Deputy Commissioner of 

 Kohdt considers that breeding fish and very young ones are not destroyed 

 to any great extent in his district, and the smallest mesh employed is \ 

 of an inch between knot and knot; that there would be no difficulty in 

 regulating its minimum size, but has no opinion as to what that should 

 be. As fry is never sold, its sale might be prohibited. 



24. The Commissioner of Rdwal Pindi observed in 1870 that "fish- 

 ing licenses are the only check we have upon 



Rdwal Pindi Division. the wholesale destruction of young fish, and I 

 dTrf R^aT KSS!Tbil; would on no account relax them The D.puty 

 Shahpur, and Gujrat. Commissioner of Rawat Pindi reports that 



breeding and young fish are not destroyed to 



any perceptible extent. The usual nets allowed have a mesh of 1 \ inches 

 between knot and knot, but two licenses are given for ' chilwa' fishermen 

 who use a much finer mesh for the purpose of taking small fish which 

 never grow to any size. There are no difficulties in regulating the mi- 

 nimum size of the mesh, 1 inch between knot and knot is recommended. 

 The people of these parts do not depend upon fish as their food ; a very few 

 touch it, therefore prohibiting the sale of the fry in the bazar wculd 

 be a wholesome measure and strike at the root of the evil. There 

 would be no objection to having a close season for two months in the hilly 

 ranges. The Deputy Commissioner of Jhilam states that breeding and 

 young fish are not destroyed to any great extent, as care is taken that 

 the meshes of all nets have 1 inches between knot and knot. The 



