18 LAWS RELATING TO 



they may be packed, shall be forfeited ; and all fish that may be for- 

 feited in consequence of this act, shall be sold by the officer who 

 seized them ; and all forfeitures in consequence of this act, after 

 paying charges, shall enure one-half to the said officer, and the 

 other half to the poor of the town of Andover. 



Sect. 4. Be it further enacted^ That the officers before mentioned 

 be, and the}' hereby are empowered to require suitable aid to enable 

 them to execute their office ; and any person who shall refuse or neg- 

 lect to give aid when thereto required, as herein pi'ovided, he shall, on 

 conviction thereof before any justice of the peace of the same county, 

 forfeit the sum of three pounds. 



This act to continue and be in force for the space of four 3-ears from 

 the first day of next November, and no longer. 



This act passed May 8, 1781. 



1786. 



An Act to prevent the Destruction of Salmon, Shad and Alewives, and other Fish in 



the Aggawam or Westfield River.* 



Sp. Laws, vol. 1, p. 126. Sect. 1. That from and after the first 

 day of March next, no person or persons be allowed to catch any 

 salmon, shad, or alewives with seines, nets, pots, or in anj' other way, 

 in an}' part of said river, within twof miles of the entrance thereof 

 into Connecticut River, nor in Connecticut River within half a mile 

 south, or forty rods north of the mouth, or entrance of said Agawam 

 into Connecticut River ; and no person or persons shall catch any 

 salmon, shad or alewives, in any other part of said Agawam River, 

 at any other time, than between sunset on Monda}' evening, and 

 sunset on Thursday evening in each week ; and if any person or per- 

 sons shall presume to catch any fish in the said rivers, contrary to the 

 true intent of this act, he or the}' so offending, shall for each offence, 

 forfeit and pay a fine of four pounds ; and the seine, net or machine, 

 used in catching said fish, shall be forfeited. 



Sect. 2. Be it further enacted^ That all wears, fences, and other 

 incumbrances now erected, or that shall hereafter be erected, in any 

 part of the said Agawam River, so as to stop the free course or pas- 

 sage of the said fish up the said river, shall be deemed common nui- 

 sance, and as such shall be pulled down and demolished ; and any 

 person or persons that shall hereafter erect any such wears, fences or 

 other incumbrance, or shall continue such already erected, on convic- 

 tion thereof, shall forfeit and pay the sum of three pounds. 



Sect. 3. Be it further enacted, That all fines and forfeitures incui-red 

 by any breach of this act, shall and may be recovered by action or 



* Altered as to Connecticut River, March 26, 1788. 

 t Reduced to one mile by Act March 8, 1796. 



