INLAND FISHERIES. 7 



there, and niaj' pass and repass on foot through, any man's propriety 

 for that end, so they trespass not upon any man's corn or meadow. 



COLONY OF PLYMOUTH. 

 1684. 



(Page 205.) This Court doth therefore enact, and he it heerhy 

 enacted by the authoritie thereof, That no p'rson or p'rsons whatsoever, 

 after the publication heerof, shall catch or draw on shore any mack- 

 erell, with nett or netts, sayne or saines, in any p'rte of this Collonie, 

 and if any p'rson or p'rsons shall heerafter presume to catch any 

 mackerell by setting or shooling any nett or saye, every such p'rson 

 or p'rsons soe offending as aforsaid, shall forfeitt for his or theire said 

 offence all such netts or saines as shalbe soe improved, and all such 

 mackerell as shalbe soe caught by him or them ; and shall alsoe for- 

 feite every sucli vessell and all such vessells or boates as shalbe 

 imployed therin, whether catch- sloop or boate as shalbe imployed in 

 taking or carrying awa}* any such fish, if att any time the p'rson or 

 p'rsons soe offending be taken within the govrment, or the valine 

 thereof, the one moiety to the Collonie and the other moyety to the 

 informer that shall prosecute the same. 



And for the better execution of the said law, power shall be given 

 by some one or more of the magestrates by warrant to some fitt man 

 to act as a water bayliff to make seasurfe of any such forfeitures as 

 aforsaid. 



PERPETUAL LAWS. 

 1702. 



(Page 143, ch. 5.) Be it enacted. That the clause above recited, 

 shall be, and is hereby revived and re-enacted : and that henceforth 

 no person or persons whatsoever shall presume to catch or cause to 

 be caught any mackerel (except for spending whilst fresh) before the 

 first of July annually ; on penalty of forfeiting all the mackrel so 

 caught contrary' to the true intent and meaning of this act, and twenty 

 shillings per barell over and above for each barrel of the same : the 

 one half of the said forfeiture to be to her majesty, for, and towards 

 the support of this her government ; and the other half to him or them 

 that shall inform and sue for the same in any of her majesty's courts 

 of record within this province. 



1709. 



An Act to prevent Nuisances by Hedges, Wears, and other incumbrances obstructing 



the passage of Fish in Rivers. 



(Page 162, ch. 3.) Be it enacted. That no wears, hedges, fish- 

 garths, stakes, kiddles, or other disturbance or incumbrance shall be 

 set, erected or made, on or across any river, to the stopping, obstruct- 



