There was a time when the entire Barpeta district was a reservoir of fishes like kawai, magur, rou, barali, etc. All the beels, wastelands and parts of Brahmaputra and its tributaries flowing through the district, were the natural habitat of these fishes. People of Barpeta have a history of consumption of fish. As the production was abundant surpassing the local demand it could have been exported to other parts of the State. But, with the passage of time, the situation has changed. Fish production has depleted to such an extent that we have not been able to meet our own requirement not to speak of export. As against a demand of 17213 metric tonnes annually, Barpeta produces 12405 MT of fish annually having a deficit of 4804 MT in a year compelling pilferage of about Rs 3 crore from the poor district. The reason behind the large-scale depletion is not hard to fathom. There are beels which have not been developed year after year; most of the beels are covered by water hyacinth and other acquatic mucks in such a way that no living creature, including fish, can breathe well there. Fishing in several notified fisheries is carried out by de-watering and where de-watering is not possible very thick nets are used to catch the smallest of the species. To add to the woes, recurring disease since 1988, which has taken an epidemic form, has caused much harm to production of fish. But the most important factor behind it is the rampant fishing during the peak breeding season of the year. Taking advantage of the ignorance of the common men, some scrupulous people carry on fishing unabated during early monsoon by several measures not prescribed by law or morality. The cause of concern in this regard is that even some lessees of the fisheries and the society of some villages are involved directly and openly in this illegal and unethical practice. The lessees take special steps to fish during this season to earn extra money or sub lease some points of the big fisheries to other businessmen. There are instances where some villages lease out flowing streams for fishing especially for this season. Though there are legal provisions to deter such activities, people are not aware of these. Those aware flout them in the