330

LAWS OF MARYLAND.

WHEREAS, The quantity of fish in said river is fast

diminishing, and will at no distant day, without some

wise, prudent and effectual means be adopted to

Preamble

prevent the wanton destruction of the same, cease

to be a source of supply of food to the residents along

the valley of said stream, and

WHEREAS, Strangers and non-residents of this

State have been in the habit of fishing in the waters

of said Patuxent River, in such manner and by such

Preamble.

means as to destroy young and small fish in great

numbers, and to effectually prevent the passage of

fish up said river to their spawning grounds, and

WHEREAS, In order to prevent any further wan-

ton destruction of nsh in the waters of said river, by

Preamble

such seines, patent weirs, traps and other devices

aforesaid ; and to protect the citizens of Prince

George's, Charles, St. Mary's and Calvert counties,

in their rights, therefore —

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of

Repealed and
re-enacted

Maryland, That section twenty-two, of an act passed

at January session, eighteen hundred and seventy-

two, chapter one hundred and twenty-eight, entitled

an act to repeal section twenty-two, of article forty-

one, of the Code of Public General Laws, entitled

" Fish and Fisheries," sub-title Patuxent, regulating

the right of fishing in the Patuxent River and its

tributaries, be and the same is hereby repealed and

re-enacted with sub-sections so as to read as follows :

22. It shall not be lawful for any person or persons

Not be lawful.

other than bona fide residents, citizens of Prince

George's, Charles, St. Mary's and Calvert counties,

to take or catch fish in the waters of the Patuxent

River and tributaries, with any seine, weir, trap or

other device, excepting only the hook and line ;

provided, that the provisions of this section shall not

apply to such as shall obtain permission from the

owners of lands bordering on said waters, to fish off

Proviso.

and opposite his, her or their land or lands so

bordering on said waters; and provided that none

other than bona fide residents citizens of said counties,

shall use in any of the waters of said river that bind

on Prince George, Charles and Calvert counties,

above the village known as Benedict, any seine, weir