INLAND FISHERIES. 75 



passed authorizing the proprietors of the slitting mills, standing on 

 the said river, to stop the water and make use of the same three days 

 in each and every week during the months of April and May annually, 

 be and the same are hereb}' repealed. — [March 2, 1798. 



An Act to prevent the Destruction and to regulate the Catching of the Fish called Ale- 

 wives, in the Rivers and Streams in the Town of Falmouth, in the County of Barn- 

 stable. 



Sp. Laws, vol. 2, p. 222. Sect. 1. Be it enacted, That the town 

 of Falmouth shall be and hereby are empowered and directed, at their 

 meeting for the choice of town officers in March or April annually, to 

 choose five or more persons, being freeholders in the said town, to see 

 that this act be duly observed ; and each person so chosen shall be 

 sworn faithfully to discharge the duties required of him by this act : 

 and the said committee shall meet together annually, on or before the 

 thirtieth day of March, at such place as they or a majority of them 

 shall appoint ; and the major part of the committee present at such 

 meeting, being not less than three in number, are hereby authorized 

 and empowered to order the times when (which shall not exceed three 

 days in a week), the places where, and the manner in which said fish 

 may be taken ; and shall notify' the inhabitants thereof, by posting up 

 notifications in several public places in said town of Falmouth, within 

 ten da3-s after their being chosen as aforesaid ; and the said committee 

 or the major part of them are hereby fully authorized and empowered 

 to cause the natural course of the streams through which the said fish 

 pass to be kept open and without obstruction, to remove any such as 

 may be found therein, and shall have authority' for those purposes to 

 go on the land or meadow of any person through which such streams 

 run, without being considered as trespassers ; and shall open or cause 

 to be opened any sluice-way through any dam now erected, or that 

 may be hereafter erected on or over an}^ of the said rivers or streams 

 (between the ponds where the said fish usually cast their spawns and 

 the sea), at the expense of the said town of Falmouth : provided, the 

 owner or owners of any such dam shall neglect to open the same 

 when thereto required bj' the said committee ; and the dam or sluice 

 so opened shall continue open in ever}' year to such depth and width 

 as shall be necessary for a passage for said fish, and for such term of 

 time between the first day of April and the tenth day of June, as the 

 major part of the said committee shall judge necessary ; and if any 

 person or persons shall molest or hinder the said committee or either 

 of them in the execution of his or their said office, or shall obstruct 

 the passage-ways or sluice-ways allowed or ordered by the said com- 

 mittee, or the major part of them, each person so offending shall, on 

 conviction before any justice of the peace for the county of Barns- 



