INLAND FISHERIES. 43 



[Sp. Laws, vol. 1, p. 269.] 



An Act for the Presei'vation and Increase of the Fish called Alewives, in Acqnesnet 

 River, in the town of New Bedford, in the County of Bristol, and for regulating the 

 taking the said Fish in the said River. 



Sp. Laws, vol. 1, p. 283. Sect. 1. Be U enacted., That the owner 

 or owners of each and ever}- mill-dam on the said river, shall make, 

 provide and continue a sluice-wa}' of two feet wide and eight inches 

 deep, for the said fish to pass their respective dams, as low as the 

 selectmen of the said town of New Bedford shall judge convenient for 

 the said fish to pass in ; and the selectmen of the said town of New 

 Bedford are hereby authorized, on the second Monda}' of April, annu- 

 ally, to open the said sluice-ways, which, when opened by them, shall 

 remain open until the twentieth day of May, annuall}' ; and the owner 

 or owners of any dam on the said river, who shall neglect or refuse to 

 make, provide and continue a sluice-way as aforesaid, or who, after 

 such sluice-wa}' is opened as aforesaid, shall shut or obstruct the same 

 during the term the said sluice-way is to be kept open as aforesaid, 

 shall forfeit and pa}- the sum of foit\' pounds for each oflfence. 



Sect. 2. Be it further enacted.. That the said town of New Bed- 

 ford, at their annual meeting for the choice of town officers, in the 

 months of March or April, annuall}', are hereby authorized to choose 

 a committee, consisting of not more than twelve nor less than three 

 suitable, discreet persons, for inspectors of the said river ; whose 

 dut}' it shall be, within four days after their appointments, to post up, 

 in four public places in the said town nearest the said river, a notifi- 

 cation, under their hands, or the major part of them, pointing out 

 the times when and places where the said fish may be taken in the 

 said river ; and if an}' person shall pull down or deface such notifica- 

 tion, he or she shall, for each offence, forfeit and pay ten shillings ; 

 and if such committee shall neglect or refuse to post up such notifica- 

 tion within the said term of four da3-s, such committee shall forfeit 

 and pay ten shillings ; and any person who shall presume to take any 

 of the said fish, in the said river, except at the times and places 

 appointed b}- the said committee, as aforesaid, shall forfeit and pay 

 three pounds for each offence. 



Sect. 3. Be it further enacted., That if an}' person or persons 

 shall make any wears or other obstructions to hinder the passage of 

 the said fish up the said river, each person so offending shall forfeit 

 and pay the sum of four pounds ; and any person who shall take or 

 catch any of the said fish in the said river with any other instrument 

 than a dip net, shall forfeit and pay forty shillings for each offence. 



Sect. 4. Be it further enacted.. That all the forfeitures mentioned 

 in this act shall accrue to the said town of New Bedford, to be recov- 

 ered by the treasurer of the said town, in an action of debt, in any 



