cxx 



killed, but when there is an overflow, the stream below is often infected 

 for some distance, and many of the fish killed. Cattle coming to drink, 

 and human beings also, are liable to suffer. The fish thus killed are 

 said to be unpleasant to the palate and unwholesome." In Damoh, after 

 the monsoon is over, nets of all sorts, with meshes to one-fourth of an inch 

 or less in width, are employed ; drag-nets are used, and split bamboo 

 weirs are constructed across favourite runs. As the streams begin 

 to dry, the pools are drugged with a fruit called c Aka' pounded and 

 mixed with flour. Rivers and tanks abound with turtles, tortoises, and 

 crocodiles, which destroy large quantities of fish. The smallest size mesh 

 of nets is given at one-eighth of an inch in Mandla and Seoni, one-fourth 

 in Jabalpur and Damoh, and so small that no fish can pass in Sagar. All 

 the Deputy Commissioners consider there would be but little difficulty 

 in regulating the minimum size of the mesh of nets, but the 

 one of Damoh considers discontent would be caused, not only amongst 

 the fishermen, but the consumers, as little fish are in great demand, 

 and meet with a ready sale. The Deputy Commissioners would adopt 

 the following as the minimum size : Seoni and Damoh half an inch 

 between the knots, Mandla one inch at the base, and two inches or more 

 higher up, Sagar one-fourth of an inch in diameter for general fishing [a 

 pencil would almost be arrested in such a mesh], Jabalpur one inch. The 

 general impression is, that the only valid objection to prohibiting the sale of 

 fry in the bazar, is the loss of income to the fishermen, and irritation amongst 

 native fish-eaters, who ordinarily belong to the lowest and least intelligent 

 class of the population. As regards fence-months, the Deputy Commissioner 

 of Seoni would have them from July to September inclusive, in the districts 

 of the Satpura Range, as then the greatest destruction takes place. The 

 Deputy Commissioners of Sagar and Jabalpur would condemn the 

 capture of fish during the two first months of the monsoon. The Depu y 

 Commissioners of Damoh and Mandla give no definite opinions, owing 

 to not having had any experience of the kind in hilly districts, to which 

 the question solely referred. 



260. In the Narbada Division, the Collector of Betul observes, that 



there is no check to the destruction of breed- 



S &S fish * fr* whieh, ^ ^ said, are des- 

 troyed in large numbers by nets, baskets, 

 and poisoning the water. The smallest size mesh of nets employed is 

 about one-eighth of an inch square ; does not apprehend any difficulty in 

 regulating the minimum size or prohibiting the sale of fry in the bazars. 

 The Collector of Chhindwara answers, that what fish are caught are captured 

 irrespective of whether breeding ones or fry ; the smallest mesh in 

 use is about one-fourth of an inch ; there would be no difficulty in regulating 

 the minimum size provided there were a law, which he would propose at 

 one inch ; there would be no objection to prohibiting the sale of fry. The 

 Collector of Hoskangabad reports, that breeding and very young fish are 

 destroyed to a great extent by means of nets, funnel-shaped baskets, 

 and poisoning pools. Fry are caught in small streams and in the shallows 

 of large rivers, especially during June and July, by narrow-meshed nets and 

 baskets, and in stagnant water by poisoning the whole pool. The smallest 

 meshes of nets are one-eighth of an inch in diameter; there would be no 

 difficulty in regulating them except in the distant wild parts of the district, 



