Chap. 339.—An ACT to protect fish in the York, Mattaponi and Pamunke
rivers by preventing fishing with any fixed device in said rivers, except gi
stake-nets in water over certain depths, and to amend and re-enact an act,
approved March 2, 1894, entitled an act to protect fish in the Mattaponi,
Pamunkey and York rivers.

Approved February 14, 1896.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That an act
entitled an act to protect fish in the Mattaponi, Pamunkey and York
rivers, and to repeal an act, approved March third, eighteen hundred
and eighty-six, entitled an act to protect fish in the Mattaponi and
Pamunkey rivers, approved March second, eighteen hundred and
ninety-four, be amended and re-enacted so as to read as follows:

§ 1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That it
shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to fish with a
pound-net, fyke-net, weir, or any other fixed device or trap, except
the device known as the gill stake-net, in water more than twenty-
two feet deep at low water in the York river below Gloucester Point,
or in water more than ten feet deep at low water in any other part
of York river (the mouth of York river in construing this act shall
mean a line drawn from the Back river lighthouse to York Spit
lighthouse, and thence to the lower end of Guinea marshes), or
water more than six feet deep at low water in the Mattaponi river
below Walkerton ferry, nor in water of any depth above Walkerton
ferry, or in water more than six feet deep at low water in the Pa-
munukey river below White House bridge, or in water of any depth
above White House bridge. And any person violating the provis-
ions of this act shall, upon conviction thereof, be fined not less than
one hundred dollars nor more than five hundred dollars fer the first
offence, and may, in the discretion of the court or jury, be confined
in the county jail not exceeding twelve months, and upon every
conviction the offender shall forfeit all nets, seines, fixed devices,
boats and other tackle used in violating the provisions of this act.

§ 2. It shall not be lawful for any person, firm or corporation to
take or catch fish with a purse-net in the York river above a line
drawn from Drum Point below the mouth of Poquoson river, in
York county, to the outer headland of Guinea marshes, in Gloucester
county.

It shall be the duty of the sheriffs and constables of any county
and the sergeant of any city or town to appear before the grand
jury of the counties bordering on any of the rivers aforesuid having
jurisdiction, at the regular session thereof, and give information as
to any violation of this act, or to report any offender against this
act to a justice of said county, to be dealt with according to law.

§ 3. This act shall not be construed as amending or repealing the
provisions of any general law not in conflict with this act.

4. All acts or parts of acts in conflict herewith, except as pro-
vided in section two of this act, are hereby repealed.

2. This act shall be in force from its passage.