232 THE FISHER Y LA WS. 



and every landowner having in the district at least a mile 

 of riparian frontage on either or both sides of a salmon or 

 trout river, and the right of fishery therein, and having 

 paid licence duty for the last season, is an ex officio member 

 of the board of conservators for the district. * He is 

 required to declare his qualification before acting on the 

 board. 2 



3. Representative members. In a district where there is 

 any public or common fishery, those persons who exercise 

 the right of fishing therein, and have taken out licences for 

 net fishing for salmon, are entitled to elect one member to 

 the board for every .50 of licence duty paid by them. 3 

 The election is by plural voting according to the amount of 

 duty paid by the elector, and the voting is also cumulative : 

 the voting papers must be attested, and may be sent in by 

 post. * Elections are held yearly, and it is the business of the 

 board of conservators to ascertain the persons entitled to 

 be electors and give them notice of their rights. 5 



These provisions seem practically to apply only to the 

 sea-coast and tidal waters ; for there are few if any public 

 fisheries anywhere else. As to common rights of fishing 

 (as distinguished from public) the tenants of an inland 

 manor may no doubt be entitled to fish in the lord's waters 

 within it, and such a right is known to the law as common 

 of fishery. I do not know, however, that it is frequent or 

 important in practice ; and I rather doubt whether any 



1 1873, s. 26 : (extended to "any river frequented by salmon, trout, 

 or char," 1878, s. 6). Provision is made for the representation of 

 persons under disability by s. 27. 2 1873, s. 28. 



3 1873, s. 29. The Act does not say that the public or common 

 fishery must be a salmon fishery. 



4 The Act says the voter " shall send the voting paper by post to 

 the returning officer," &c., but I suppose a voting paper delivered by 

 the voter in person would be good. 6 S. 30. 



