xli 



In Dharwar it is thought that it would be extremely difficult and un- 

 popular to regulate the minimum size of the meshes of nets employed 

 in those small tanks which dry up every hot season, because, as the water 

 subsides, the fish are taken in the mud even with the hands. In Khan- 

 deish it would be impossible to curtail the present privileges of the Bhils 

 by regulating how the fisheries should be worked, because the forest rules 

 have deprived them of one source of livelihood, viz., the sale of timber 

 cut in the forest ; but that prohibiting the poisoning of water-courses 

 for fishing purposes should be the only first step taken. Thus the general 

 objections appear to be that the fisheries are of little, if any, economic 

 value at present, and no benefit would accrue from trying to improve them, 

 whilst any regulations respecting the nets would be difficult to carry out. 

 The local objections against regulations are, that^t would be impolitic as 

 in Khandeish ; in Dharwar that such should not extend to tanks that 

 yearly dry up ; whilst in Ahmenabad that they would be used as a means 

 of extortion by the lower grades of Government servants. 



86. On the other hand, the following opinions have been advanced/ 



by those who would do something to improve 



Proposals to interfere and ^ fisheries and render them more economic- 

 increase the importance of the / 



fisheries. *% useful. The Acting Collector of North 



Canara observes that the fish are the public 



property, the public being represented by Government. Were these 

 fisheries an unlimited fund of wealth or inexhaustible, it would be better 

 to leave the right of using them unlimited ; but as they are not inex- 

 haustible, but are deteriorating, restrictions have become necessary. The 

 Acting First Assistant Collector of Ahmednuggur considers that legisla- 

 tion will be the only e$.ectual stop to the present mode of depopulating 

 the fisheries, but that a general Act would be unworkable, therefore it 

 would be better to have one which could be applied when considered 

 necessary to particular rivers and localities favourable for fish breeding. 

 The Second Assistant observes that a prohibitive measure regulating the 

 size of the mesh of the nets would not be unpopular. In Satara that 

 no difficulties exist against regulating the size of the meshes of the 

 nets, except the want of some legal provision by which offenders might 

 be punished. In Broach that there would be no objection in regulating 

 the minimum size of the meshes of the nets to be henceforth used, 

 beyond the prejudices of the fishermen. The Collector of Ahmednuggur 

 considers that, if an Act were passed, one or two years' notice would be 

 necessary, as the nets with smaller meshes would become useless. In 

 Kaladgi and Kutnaghari the only objections appear to be the difficulty of 

 detecting infringements of any regulations that may be decided upon. 

 In Belgaum that there would be no trouble, but prawn and ' moree ' nets 

 should be exempted ; the Assistant Collector likewise sees no difficulty 

 in regulating the size of the meshes of the nets to be used at different 

 seasons. The Acting Collector of Dharwar considers that there would 

 be difficulties, but in no degree insuperable ones, to regulating the mini- 

 mum size of the meshes of nets used in the rivers and in the large 

 tanks that do not dry up. Thus some legislative interference to stop 

 the present mode of depopulating the fisheries appears to be consider- 

 ed necessary by the majority of the European civil officials who have 

 given their opinions, and regulating the minimum size of the meshes 



