REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [120] 



enacted and declared, That the clause in the act, entituled "An Act 

 for the Regulating and Encouragement of Fishery", that henceforth no 

 mackeril shall be caught (except for spending whilst fresh), before the 

 first of July annually, be and hereby is fully repealed and made void, 

 anything therein to the contrary notwithstanding. [Passed February 

 8, 1692-'3.] — (Acts and Resolves of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, 

 vol. 1, 1G92-1714, p. 102.) 



1692. 



AN ACT for the regulating and encouragement of fishery. 



Upon consideration of great damage and scandal, that hath happened 

 upon the account of pickled fish, although afterwards dried and hardly 

 discoverable, to the great loss of many, and also an ill reputation on 

 this province, and the fishery of it, — 



Be it therefore enacted by the Governor, Council and Representative*, 

 convened in General Court or Assembly, and it is enacted by the authority 

 of the same, 



[Sect. 1.] That no person or persons whatsoever, after the publica- 

 tion hereof, shall save or salt any sort of fish (that is intended to be 

 dried) in cask or fattes, or any other way than what hath formerly and 

 honestly been practised for the making of dry fish, on penalty of forfeit- 

 ing all such fish so salted and pickled, whether it be green or drye ; the 

 one moiety thereof to the use of the poor of the town where the offence 

 is committed, and the other moiety to the person that shall sue for the 

 same. 



And it is further enacted by the authority aforesaid, 



[Sect. 2. J That henceforth no mackrel shall be caught (except for 

 spending whilst fresh) before the first of July annually; and no person 

 or persons whatsoever, after the publication hereof, shall at any time 

 or place within this province take, kill, or hale ashore any mackrel, 

 with any sortfs] of nets or sa'ens whatsoever, on penalty of forfeiting 

 all such mackrel so taken or haled ashore, and also all such nets or sa'ens 

 which were so imployed ; the one half thereof to their majesties towards 

 the support of this their government, and the other half to him or them 

 that shall inform and sue for the same. And all justices are hereby im- 

 powered, and required to grant their warrants for the seizing of the 

 same and the aforesaid forfeitures, or the receiving of the like value in 

 currant money of this province. [Passed November 26, 1692.] 



[Acts and Resolves of the Province of Massachusetts Bay. Vol. I. 1692-1714, p. 71. 

 Province Laws, 1692-3. Chap. XXXII. ] 



1702. — Re-enactment of prohibitory laics. 



AN ACT for the reviving and re-enacting a clause in the act intituled "An act for the 

 regulating and encouragement of fishery" that hath heen for some time repealed by 

 the General Assembly. 



Whereas, in the second paragraph of the said act it is enacted "that 

 henceforth no mackerel shall be caught (except for spending whilst fresh) 



