242 LAWS RELATING TO 



authorized and empowered, at any legal meeting of the inhabitants of 

 said towns, to choose three persons in each town for a fish-committee, 

 who shall be inhabitants of the towns for which they are chosen, and 

 who shall be sworn to the faithful performance of their duty. The 

 said committees shall meet together annually, on or before the twen- 

 tieth day of April, at such time and place as a majority of them may 

 appoint; and when so united, shall be considered a joint committee 

 for enforcing the provisions of this act. The major part of this joint 

 committee present at such meeting, or at any subsequent meeting 

 before the twentieth day of April in each year, are hereby authorized 

 and empowered to order the time, place and manner in which it may 

 be lawful to take any of tlie fish called herrings or ale wives and perch 

 in Bass River, or the ponds and streams connected therewith, and 

 may prescribe the length of the seines, nets or other instruments 

 ■which may be used for taking such fish, together with the length of 

 the lines attached thereunto ; and may appoint and grant permits to 

 suitable persons, being inhabitants of one of said towns, to catch any 

 of the said fish in the said river, or in the ponds and streams connected 

 therewith, and fix the compensation to be paid to the said towns for 

 such permits ; and shall determine the quantity of said fish which each 

 family in said towns shall receive from such catchers, and establish 

 the price therefor ; and when directed by a vote of both the said towns, 

 may sell at auction or otherwise the exclusive right of fishing in said 

 river and its waters to one or more persons for a term of time not 

 longer than one fishing season, at one sale, upon such terms and con- 

 ditions as the said towns or said joint committee may direct. 



Sect. 2. If either of the said towns of Dennis or Yarmouth shall 

 have chosen its fish-committee according to the provisions of this act, 

 and the other town shall neglect or refuse so to do, then the com- 

 mittee which is lawfully chosen shall have all the power and authority 

 which is intended by this act to be conferred on the said joint com- 

 mittee. 



Sect. 3. The said committee or a majority of them, are hereby 

 fully authorized and empowered to cause the natural streams through 

 which the said fish pass to be kept open and without obstruction ; to 

 remove such obstructions as may be found therein, and to make the 

 said passage-ways wider and deeper if they shall judge necessary ; 

 and the said committee, or either of them, by paying a reasonable 

 consideration therefor, if demanded, shall have authority for these 

 purposes to go on the land or meadows of any person through which 

 the said streams run, without being considered as trespassers ; and any 

 person or persons who shall molest, or in any way hinder the said 

 committee, or either of them, in the execution of the duties of their 

 oflSce, or shall obstruct any passage-way in the said Bass River, or in 



