clvi 



other fish which ascend them in the rains to spawn. Not only are 

 large fish destroyed on their upward and downward route, but the fry 

 are caught wherever they are to be seen. Moreover, the rivers are so 

 dammed up by weirs made on purpose to catch fish, that they cannot 

 always ascend to their spawning-grounds, and fall an easy prey to the 

 people, who are on the watch for them. There are several modes of 

 catching fish ; the principal are netting ; by weirs with one exit, at which 

 a wicker basket or trawl is fixed ; and by snagging, or as it is called the 

 'raksha/ fishing with rod and line is rarely practised. Netting is 

 carried on at all times of the year, but chiefly during floods, when the 

 water is dirty, and the fish come to the edge to feed, or when the water 

 is very low indeed. Weirs are erected as soon as the monsoon begins to 

 cease, and they remain in existence till carried away by the first floods 

 in the rains. They are placed usually at the tail of each pool, and there 

 is almost always one at the junction of two rivers, thus entirely pre- 

 venting fish running up till the weir is carried away by a flood. 

 Snagging is, in my opinion, by far the most uselessly destructive method. 

 It is carried on as follows : Two men, one on either bank of the 

 stream, hold a long and strong line between them. To this are attached 

 several large hooks, between each of which are fastened flat pieces of 

 stick, so placed as to keep the hooks with the point upwards. The hooks 

 are allowed to sink to the bottom, and when a fish, working his way up 

 stream, comes over the hooks, the man on the higher bank jerks the 

 line, and very frequently transfixes the fish. Of course, many fish must 

 get away maimed ; but 1 have seen numbers, amongst them mahaseer of 

 15 to 20 Ibs. weight, caught in one pool in this manner. All villagers 

 living along the larger rivers pursue this method during the cold 

 season when the water is clear, and very few large fish can escape them. 

 Were it not for the damage done by maiming fish, it would not be so ob- 

 jectionable, as what are caught are eaten ; but as it is, I think it a perni- 

 cious plan, and one which almost completely clears the fish out of the 

 deep pools where they rest during the cold season/' Some villages have 

 purchased the right to catch fish thus, but they must be few. Large 

 quantities of fry and small fish are said to be destroyed in the numerous 

 small streams, and interference might create dissatisfaction. " That the 

 number of fish is decreasing is well known and acknowledged, so 

 much so, that the people living high up one of our rivers, an affluent 

 of the Aleknunda, complained to me that owing to the number of 

 weirs, they found that very few fish can find their way up as far 

 as their villages. Being a fisherman myself, I too can testify that 

 in some rivers where there used to be first-rate rod-fishing, it has 

 greatly deteriorated in the last few years, while the size of the 

 fish has also decreased." The following are Captain Garstin's 

 propositions : " (1) that no weirs be allowed at the junctions of 

 rivers; (2) that every weir should have in the deep stream an 

 escape, which should never be blocked up by nets or wicker baskets ; 

 (8) that no weirs should be allowed where the people have not a distinct 

 recorded right permitting them to erect one ; (4) that there shall be a 

 close season from netting, during the months of July, August and 

 September ; (5) that snagging be prevented wherever the people have 

 no recorded right allowing of it ; (6) that a certain number of pools 



