Chap. 287._An ACT to Amend and Re-enact an Act entitled an Aet
for the Protection of Fish in the Roanoke River West of the Bedford
Line, in force March 20th, 1872.

‘£ Approved March 29, 1873.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
no person shall hereafter draw or haul any seine or net, or fish
with any gill net or floating net in the Roanoke river west of
the Bedford line, for the purpose of taking the fish therefrom,
at any time from the first day of April until the first day of
September in any year.

2. Be it further enacted, That no person shall at any time
build any dam across the Roanoke river west of the Bedford
line, commonly known as fish dams, for the purpose of putting
therein any trap or net to catch fish, either running up or down
the said river; nor shall any person put in said river any ob-
struction of any kind, so that fish may be taken therefrom at
such obstruction in any manner.

3. Be it further enacted, That it shall the duty of all owners s
of mill dams built across the Roanoke river west of the Bed- ¢.
ford line, to at once construct and put in their said mill dams e
suitable shoots, slopes, sluices or fish ladders, so that the fish
may have free and unmolested passage up and down said river,
and to keep the same at all times in good repair.

4. Be it further enacted, That any person offending against p
the first section of this act shall, on conviction thereof before a :
justice of the peace, forfeit and pay the sum of ten dollars for
each offence, in addition to which penalty the net or nets em-
ployed and used shall be forfeited and sold, the proceeds of
sale to be applied as hereinafter provided; and any person
violating the second section shall, on conviction thereof before
a justice of the peace, forfeit and pay the sum of ten dollars,
and the dams shall be broken down and the traps or nets de- L
stroyed, and the expenses of breaking down and destroying ©
the same shall be collected from the party offending, as a part a
of the cost of the prosecution.

5. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of i
the township supervisors to see that the provisions of the se-*
cond and third sections of this act are properly enforced by
a careful inspection of the river and dams thereon, in their sev-
eral counties, to be made in the months of April and Septem- V
ber in each year; and if any owner of any mill.dam across the f
said Roanoke river west of the Bedford line shall neglect or P
fail to comply with the provisions of the third section of -this :
act, the said supervisors shall at once report the matter to the §
county court of their county, which shall cause the necessary
shoot, slope, sluice or fish ladder to be constructed, and col-
lect the cost of the same from the owner of the dam, adding
fifty per cent. to the same as damages; and after the shoot, F
slope, sluice or fish ladder shall have been constructed to any >
dam, any person who shall put any net or trap above or below E
the same, or fish with a net above or below the same, shall
upon conviction of such offence before a justice of the peace,
forfeit and pay the sum of ten dollars for each offence.

6. All the fines and forfeitures incurred under this act shall, +
when collected, be paid to the clerk of the court, and by him 2 f
be paid over to the county treasurer, who shall credit it as a
part of the school fund of such county. ,

7. This act shall be in force from its passage. (