26 LAWS RELATING TO 



said, shall incur tbe penalty of twenty pounds, to be recovered and 

 disposed of in the same manner as aforesaid. 



Sect. G. Be it further enacted, That from and after the passing 

 this act, every town bordering on Ipswich River, where alewives and 

 other fish go np to cast their spawn, shall, at their meeting in March 

 or April, for the choice of town officers annuall}', choose at least three 

 fit and suitable persons, whose dut}' it shall be, jointly or severally, 

 to see that this act be dulj' observed, and to inform against an}' per- 

 ■son or persons that shall offend against the same ; and all persons so 

 <jhosen, shall be sworn to the faithful discharge of their dut}'' in such 

 office ; and if anj' person chosen as aforesaid, shall refuse or neglect 

 to be sworn, after due notice given, he shall forfeit and pay the sum 

 of forty shillings, fur the use of the poor of the town to which he 

 belongs, to be recovered by the treasurer of such town in anj^ court 

 proper to tr}' the same ; and such town shall proceed to a new choice, 

 and so toities quoties. 



Sect. 7. Be it farther enacted, That each and ever}' person, who 

 shall, from and after the twentieth da}' of April, to the thirteenth day 

 of June annually, presume to take any of the said fish in the river 

 aforesaid, or any of the streams running into the same, except on 

 Monday, Wednesday and Friday, in each week during the time limited 

 b}'^ this act, and in that case, not to be taken within two rods of any 

 of the sluices aforesaid, shall forfeit and pay for every such offence a 

 sum not exceeding forty shillings, nor less than twent}' shillings, to 

 be recovered on complaint or information, one moiety to the prosecu- 

 tor, the other moiety to the poor of the town where the offence is com- 

 mitted : and the said commiltee shall be admitted as witness or 

 witnesses on the trial. 



Sect. 8. Be it further enacted. That all the laws heretofore made, 

 relative to fish passing up Ipswich River, and for regulating the taking 

 of the said fish, be and they hereby are repealed and made null and 

 void.— [March 28, 1788. 



[Sp. Laws, vol. 1, p. 451 ; vol.2, p. 128; vol. 3, pp. 431, 524; 1810, cb. 117; 1812, 127; 

 1814, 22; 1823, 33; 1839, 134; 1845, 79; 1855, 171 ; 1856, 14, 52, 248.] 



An Act to prevent the Destruction, and regulate and limit the Catching of Fish in the 

 Rivers and Streams in the Town of Wcstport, in the County of Bristol. 



Sp. Laws, vol. 1, p. 197. Sect. 1. Be it enacted, That no seine or 

 net shall be drawn at any time of the year anywhere in the rivers 

 within the said town of Westport, below the south end of an island 

 called Lake's Island, striking a line of an east and west course from 

 the south end of said island, or within half a mile from the entrance 

 of the harbor of said town ; and that in the months of October and 

 November, yearl}', and ever}' year, no seine or net shall be drawn any 

 where in either of the rivers, arms or creeks within the said town ; 



