Ixxxii 



the natives alone regarding the fish and its means of capture,, and I think 

 I may safely say that, considering the extraordinary re-productive- 

 ness of fish and the fine reaches of the Kistna, let man use any 

 appliances he can think of for taking fish, he will never be able to 

 affect the supply in any appreciable way as regards this district. [The 

 Tehsildar of Ramalkota (see para. 180) observes on the decrease, and that 

 it is " asserted by all the fishermen of whom I have enquired, that the 

 river stock has considerably decreased of late years," and that this is 

 due to the weir across the Kistna.] The same officer (November 6th, 

 1869) observed that no fisheries are let in his district. The rivers Kistna 

 and Toongbhudra divide it from the Nizam's territories ; consequently, 

 it may be doubtful in such localities as to the proportion of the 

 fishery which belongs to the British : in all other waters they belong 

 exclusively to Government. " If fisheries are let, there would be a 

 greater inducement to destroy fish, than allowing things to be as they 

 are. The renters would naturally use their utmost endeavours to catch 

 as many fish as possible to make their rents profitable. They would 

 in a few years do more damage than the present occasional fishermen 

 do in a century. I do not advocate their being let at all. The effect 

 of the anicut is not appreciable [see Tehsildar's answer, para. ] 80.] Fewer 

 men are said to fish than formerly, but the rise of wages has more to 

 do with it than the falling off of fish." [The Collector here appears 

 to chiefly examine this question respecting whether renting out fisheries, 

 hitherto unlet, will exercise a good or prejudicial influence on the fish. 

 I would point out that it is the preservation of the fry and stoppage of 

 the use of very minute meshed nets that is one of the chief alterations 

 that appears desirable, and letting out fisheries would give the lessee an 

 interest in protecting such immature fish. When I was stationed at 

 Kurnal a few years since, I had two large mahaseer brought to me one 

 day; the first weighed 3 8Rjs, the second 14fbs. On the same evening I 

 saw the fry of these fish being caught in a minute meshed net, whilst 

 the adult was stated to attain 50 to 6 Olbs weight; and at this period 

 a great scarcity of fish was being complained of, whilst they were said 

 to be diminishing. I suspect this was so ; for, as wages have risen in 

 the district, the price of fish would have increased also ; as more people 

 could afford to purchase it.] Is unable to say if fish have decreased 

 above the weir, but they are stopped by it. Men are seen catching them 

 in a sort of landing net as they try to leap over the anicut, which is 

 impossible, because the weir at Sunkesula (a few miles above Kurnal) 

 is vertical and has no curtain ; many fish are caught below the weir. 

 Young fish are destroyed to a great extent, but more perish from the 

 drying up of rivers and tanks than from any other means. Nets are 

 employed whose meshes do not exceed the size of open mosquito cur- 

 tain material. There would, however, be no difficulty in regulating the 

 minimum size to be employed, except that carrying out such a regulation 

 would require a water police establishment, the cost of which would 

 probably exceed the rents. The Assistant Collector (July 26th, 1869) 

 reports that very young fish are destroyed to a very great extent with 

 nets, the meshes of which are not larger than those of mosquito curtains. 

 " I believe any law regulating the size of the mesh would be inopera- 

 tive in this country ; it would be cruel to the poor people, vvho ; for the 



