INLAND FISHERIES. 155 



and ma}' be lawful for the inhabitants of the several towns situated 

 on said river, to catch alewives and other fish within the bounds of 

 their own towns and nowhere else, with seines or nets, four days in 

 each week only, to wit, on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thurs- 

 day, beginning at midnight next succeeding Sunday and ending at 

 midnight next succeeding Thursday in each week ; and 2^'rovided, 

 that the towns of Dighton and Wellington shall draw or sweep with 

 two seines or nets only ; the town of Berkley shall draw or sweep 

 with two seines or nets only : the town of Taunton shall draw or 

 sweep with three seines or nets only ; the town of Raynham shall 

 draw or sweep with three seines or nets only, in said river, within the 

 time before mentioned ; and no person shall be permitted at any 

 time to set any seine or net across said river, or in any part thereof, 

 or in any waters connected with the said river, or make use of any 

 seine or net of more than twenty rods in length : provided, also, 

 that each of said towns shall at a legal town meeting, establish 

 annually the places where the said seines or nets may be used within 

 the bounds of the respective towns exclusively, and at the same meet- 

 ing or an adjournment thereof, dispose of and grant for that year, and 

 80 from year to year, the sole privilege of catching alewives, or other 

 fish with seines or nets on the days above mentioned, at the places 

 so established, to such person or persons as shall give the most for 

 the same, and give suf3acient security for the payment at such time 

 and in such manner as the respective towns shall order such person 

 or persons, so purchasing the privilege to have right to fish, and no 

 other person whatever. 



Sect. 2. Be it farther enacted, That if any person or persons shall 

 draw any seine or net on any day or time other than those before 

 mentioned, or at any place other than those established by the town 

 as aforesaid, or shall on any day or at any place, set a seine or net in 

 or across said river, or any part thereof, or in any waters connected 

 with the same, he shall forfeit and pay fifty dollars for each and every 

 such offence, to be recovered by indictment or information, or by 

 action of debt, in any court proper to try the same ; the one half 

 thereof to the use of the poor of the town where the oflTence shall be 

 committed, and the other half to him or them who shall prosecute or 

 sue for the same. 



Sect. 3. Be it farther enacted, That if any person or persons shall 

 be found sweeping with any seine or net, or if any seine or net shall 

 be used by any person or persons contrary to the true intent and 

 meaning of this act, it shall and may be lawful for any person or 

 persons to seize and take such seine and net to his or their own use, 

 and if prosecuted therefor, to plead the general issue, and give this 

 act in evidence as though the same was specially pleaded. 



