Ixvi 



and return again to the larger rivers of the plains before the advent of the 

 dry season would impede their descent. Damming and lading out pieces 

 of water for capturing fish occurs in several parts. Whilst poisoning is 

 reported as existing in the Collectorates of Nellur, Trichinopoly, 

 Kurnal, Chiugleput, Salem, Tinnevelli, Coimbatore, South Canara 

 and Malabar. 



136. The following reports will, I conceive, render it conclusive, 



that (1) the great proportion of the inhabit- 

 UP " *> of tlle Madras Presidency are fish-eaters, 



generally preferring it fresh ; (2) that the 

 markets, as a rule, are insufficiently supplied ; (3) hat the amount of 

 fish in the fresh waters has generally decreased; (4) that the fisheries 

 are Government property; (5) that the fishermen, as a rule, do not 

 follow this occupation as a sole means of support, but rather in addition 

 to their regular occupations ; (6) that breeding fish are trapped and 

 otherwise netted (as at irrigation weirs) when migrating for breeding 

 purposes ; (7) that the fry are wastefully destroyed whenever and 

 wherever they can be obtained ; (8) that nets with the most minute 

 meshes are employed; (9) that fixed engines, as cruives and weirs, 

 are unfairly and largely made use of; (10) that damming up and 

 lading out waters, is in existence, in order to procure fish; (11) that 

 poisoning is also resorted to for this purpose. 



137. And now the consideration arises, as to what measures of 



amelioration have been proposed on these 



Measures of amelioration points by the various officials of the Madras 

 which have been proposed in 4^ -^ J n* -i >j *i i 



Madras. Presidency. All admit that whenever Nos. 1 



and 11 exist they should be prohibited, 



leaving only for enquiry how the unfair destruction of breeding fish 

 should be lessened, the general massacre of young fry diminished, as well 

 as the best method of treating the question of nets and fixed implements. 

 At the onset, it may be observed that the Revenue Board would leave 

 matters as they are, as they " cannot but view with reluctance the 

 necessity of State interference, with what are at present free industries." 



138. I proposed (December 1st, 1868) , after having examined many 



of the fisheries, that 'free fishing/ if I may so 

 ^Personal propositions in degcribe ^ should be abo lished on economic 



grounds, my reasons being that the effect of 



giving up the fisheries to the public free of cost had resulted in their 

 being almost destroyed ; that letting them out would cause the lessee to 

 look after them ; that no lessee could oppress the fishermen, for if they 

 refused to work, he would be powerless to obtain the fish. I suggested 

 yearly auctions (which, however, have been objected to by various offi- 

 cials), which would, after five years or so, show the value of the fisheries, 

 and subsequently they might be leased out for five years at a time. (I 

 never contemplated yearly auctions to be continued, as appears to be 

 supposed) ; that the minimum size of the meshes of nets should be four 

 inches in circumference ; of course, this would include the interstices 

 between the substances employed in cruives, weirs, and all fixed imple- 

 ments ; the destruction of vermin, as crocodiles and otters ; the slaughter 

 of snakes at irrigation weirs, and the construction of fish passes at these 

 places. 



