CHAPTER XIII 



LAWS AND EEGULATIONS FOE TAKING FISH 



In the Act called the Black Act, it is enacted that any 

 person being armed and disguised, and who shall steal, 

 or unlawfully take away any fish out of a river or pond, 

 or maliciously break down and destroy the mound or 

 head of any river, whereby the fish shall be lost or 

 destroyed, or shall rescue any person in custody for such 

 oifence, or procure another to assist him therein, shall be 

 found guilty of felony, without benefit of clergy. 



For destroying or killing fish in enclosed ground, 

 being private property, a penalty of five pounds, or 

 imprisonment in the House of Correction for not exceed- 

 ing six months. 



For breaking into an enclosed or private ground, and 

 stealing or destroying the fish, transportation for seven 

 years, and receivers the like punishment. 



No persons may have in possession, or keep, any net, 

 angle piche, or other engine for taking fish, but the 

 makers and sellers thereof, and the owner or renter of a 

 river fishery, except fishermen and their apprentices, 

 legally authorised in navigable rivers ; and the owner 

 or occupier of the said river may seize, and keep, and 

 convert to his own use, every net, etc., which he shall 

 discover laid or used, or in the possession of any person 

 thus fishing without his consent. 



Damaging or intruding, by using nettrices, fish-hooks, 

 or other engines to catch fish, without consent of the 

 owner or occupier, must pay any amount the magistrate 

 or justice orders, provided it exceeds not treble the 



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