clxxx 



limiting the supply/' This answer is composed of two distinct state- 

 ments : (1) the latter part of which gives the supply as limited, and as a 

 cause, fishermen combining to do so to keep up the market price. Here 

 the fact of limited supply may be accepted but not " the cause," for how 

 would it be possible in a single division, possessing 3,000 fishermen, for 

 all these people to combine together, doubtless the supply is unequal 

 to the demand, due to deficiency of fish ; (2) that to the markets being 

 " fairly supplied" may be added " occasionally " Certainly throughout 

 Orissa, except at such seasons as sea-fish are obtainable, whether from 

 the coast or due to their migrating up rivers, the supply in localities I 

 visited was stated to be unequal to the demand. The only observation 

 from Assam (see para. 360) gives a scarcity of fish as existing. It 

 may be concluded that the fish-supply in the markets of Bengal, except 

 at certain seasons, is unequal to the demand, and when equal, is due to 

 the extensive capture of breeding and young fish. 



346. Have fish increased, decreased, or remained stationary ? The 



Commissioner of the Rajshahye Division 

 Fish have decreased. considers the amount has fallen off to what 



it was 20 years ago. In Orissa, this was 



the general complaint when I visited it. In the Burdwan Division, a 

 diversity of opinion exists amongst the native officials, some considering 

 it to be stationary, others that it has decreased ; it is also said to be 

 stationary in Hooghly. In Assam, a decrease appears to exist. The 

 returns are manifestly most imperfect, but no one speaks of an increase, 

 several of a decrease a complaint which I have found universal in 

 localities I have visited ; consequently I believe that such is general. 



347. The fishermen, or people who fish, consist of three classes ; 



(1) regular fishermen who are exclusively 



The fishermen. employed as such ; (2) the wives of the men 



of some castes who fish whilst their husbands 



pursue other occupations ; (3) the general population. Thus in Burdwan, 

 out of 20,000 people computed as capturers offish, one-third are stated to be 

 pretty exclusively employed as such; in Hooghly, there are considered 

 to be 3,000 fishermen by trade. 



348. Are breeding -fish destroyed? In Midnapur, they are to a 



great extent ; in Burdwan, they are largely 

 Breeding-fish destroyed. taken, but not wastefully destroyed, the 



distinction drawn being because they are 



eaten ; in Hooghly, to a considerable extent in paddy-fields, &c. 

 in Darjeeling, to a great extent ; in Julpigoree, not to such an extent as 

 to endanger supply ; in Goalpara, that there is a wanton and ruthless 

 destruction of them, whilst certainly this occurs all through Orissa. 

 In short, every one who has answered this question agrees that breeding- 

 fish are destroyed to a greater or lesser extent. 



349. Are the fry of fish destroyed? They are in Midnapur; 



only taken in Burdwan ; captured to a con- 

 Fry wastefully destroyed. siderable extent in Hooghly ; the same at 



Darjeeling, Goalpara, and through the Raj- 

 shahye Division ; not to such an amount as to endanger supply at Julpi- 

 goree, whilst in Orissa such is most ruthless. The native officials of 

 Burdwan state that during the rains small fish are taken by traps and 



