xl 



83. Having thus briefly analysed the opinions given in the ensuing 



returns, they all more or less clearly show the 

 Conclusions. great use to which the fresh- water fisheries 



might be turned; their present impover- 

 ished state and inefficiency to meet the demands of the local markets, 

 owing to which thousands of persons who would eat fish, could 

 they obtain it, are now entirely deprived of this wholesome article of 

 food. That this appears to have been produced by the permission of 

 reckless and indiscriminate fishing in fisheries the property of Govern- 

 ment, and how the slaughter of the breeding fish and the destruction 

 of the fry by every conceivable means, even to nets with such fine 

 meshes, and wicker traps the interstices of which will not permit even 

 the passage of a fish's egg, down to damming streams and standing 

 pieces of water, trapping the breeding fish and the fry, and even 

 poisoning the fisheries by which everything is obtained to the most 

 minute, the latter of which being sometimes killed only to be thrown 

 away. Lastly, that the fishing classes, as a rule, do not solely pursue this 

 occupation for a living, but only as an addition to their ordinary means 

 of livelihood, so that the passing of any measures which might even tem- 

 porarily put a check to this pursuit could not bear hardly upon any class. 



84. Having thus briefly adverted to the present state of affairs, the 



consideration arises, would it be better to leave 



Is it advisable to let matters matters alone and trust to chance, or might 

 Z^r^H^S it be advisable to put a stop to the present 

 exist ? wasteful manner in which these fisheries are 



being worked, and by some simple, but effective, 



measures permit the adult fish to breed in peace, and the young to grow 

 out of their babyhood before being caught, and thus to afford a very 

 largely increased amount of animal food to the poorer classes ? 



85. It will be well first to examine the views of those who would leave 



these deteriorating fisheries alone, the prin- 

 to?uterfe!e! md ^ ^^^ cipal reasons which are adduced for such a 



course being as follows : The Assistant Col- 

 lector of Khandeish denies that inland fisheries in small rivers have ever 

 proved of any economic or commercial advantage, unless protected as 

 private property, &c., therefore it is no matter what becomes of them in 

 Khandeish and the Deccan, whilst in the larger rivers the fish may take 

 care of themselves ; and with such views, would give out the fishery tenures 

 as far as possible to those who now employ themselves in these fisheries, 

 and thus at one stroke render them private property, &c. Thus, without 

 placing any limitation on the minimum size of the mesh of the nets 

 made use of, he would give the monopoly of these fisheries, without any 

 restrictions, to some of the very people who are now impoverishing them 

 by every means which their ingenuity can suggest. " In Ahmenabad it 

 is considered " better that some fry be destroyed than that further oppor- 

 tunities should be afforded to the lower grade of Government servanl 

 and bigotted Hindus to turn the intentions of Government to their own 

 profit/'' In Kaira it is considered that restrictions, if imposed, would be 

 of little or no benefit. In Nasik that such would be unpopular and 

 difficult of enforcement in outlying districts. In Tanna no restrictions 

 are recommended, whilst any would render additional police necessary. 



