48. 



ILLINOIS STATE FISH LAW. 



An Act to encourage the pro'pagation and cul ivation. and to secure the pro- 

 tection of fishes in all the waters of this State, Approved Maij 31, 1S87. In force 

 July 1, 1SS7, as amended by act ap}.roved June 3, 1889 in Jorce Jidy 1, 1S89. 



Section i. That no person shall place or cause to be placed or erected 

 any sein, weir, net fish dam or other obstruction in or across any of the- 

 rivers, creeks, streams, ponds, lakes, sloughs, ba.vous or other water or 

 water courses wholly within or running through this State in such man- 

 ner as shall obstruct the free passage of fish up and down or through 

 such water or water courses; and it shall be unlawful for any person to 

 catch or take fish, except minnows for bait, with any device or means 

 other than a hook and line, within one-lialf mile of any dam constructed 

 across any of the rivers or creeks or other water courses wholly within, 

 or running through this State; Provided, further, that it shall be unlaw- 

 ful for any person or persons nt any time to catch or kill any fish in any 

 of the rivers, creeks, ponds, lakes, sloughs, bayous or other water courses 

 within the jurisdiction of this State by use of line, spear, acid, medicinal 

 or chemical compound or explosive. 



I 2. That it shall be the duty of any person or persons who now own 

 or control, or hereafter may erect or control any dam or other obstruc- 

 tion across any of the rivers, creeks, streams, bayous or other water courses 

 wholly within or running through this State in such manner as shall ob- 

 struct the free passage of fish up and down ( r through such water or 

 water courses, to place or cause to be erected in or in connection with 

 such dam or dams durable and efficient fish ways so that the free pass- 

 age of fish up and down said water m;iy not be obstructed. All such fish- 

 ways shall be maintained and kept in ^ood repair by the person or per- 

 sons so owning or controlling such dam or other obstructions during the 

 whole time of the existence of such dam or other obstructions as afore- 

 said, so that said fish-ways shall, at all times, be open and free from 

 obstruction for the passage of fish, and in case the owner or person 

 controlling, operating or using any dam or other obstruction as .aforesaid, 

 shall fail or refuse, after fen days notice in writing, by a mnjority of the 

 Fish Commissioners of this State, to construct and keep in good repair 

 durable and efficient fish-ways as provided in this act. then the Fish 

 Commissioners may construct cr cause to be constructed durable and 

 efficient fish-ways or place the same in good repair, said work to be let 

 by contract to the lowest responsible bidder, and may recover in an ac- 

 tion of debt in the name of the People of the State of Illinois, before 

 any justice of the peace or any court of competent jurisdiction the cost 

 of constructing or repairing such fish-ways. Any person or persons or 

 corporation owning or controlling any such dam or other obstructions, 

 who sliall I ail or refuse to comply with the ju-ovisions of this section, 

 witli respect to the construction and maintenance, in good re]iair. of such 

 fish-ways in -iny such dam. after liaving been notified in writing by the 

 Fish Commissioners, or a majority of them to construct or repair the 

 same, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and for each and every 

 twenty days after suoh notification that such person or persons shalVneg- 



