The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1879-06-18

We publish the following by au-
thority of the Board of County Com
missioners
AN ACT to Protect the Food Fishes of the
State. and to regulate Fisheries.
The People of the State of Florida, repre-
scented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as
follows: SECTION l. No person shall use in
the rivers of this state any gill net for the
capture of the fish known as shad with a
mesh less than five inches from knot to
knot, measured lengthwise. or use a seine
for the capture OF any of the food fishes
with a mesh less than three and half
inches from knot to knot. measured length
wise, under a penalty of thirty dollars for
each offence: Provided, That this section
shall not apply to any person who shall
use seine or net with smaller mesh
than the one defined for the exclusive pur-
pose of catching minnows for bait.
SEC. =. No person shall catch OF capture
any shad. or use gill net or seine for the
capture OF the fish known as shad, between
the INST day OF April and the first dav Of
December OF any year, under a penalty of
twenty five dollars for each offence, and
the, contscatlon OF all nets, seines, boats
and tackle used in such unlawful acts
SEC .. No person shall place, construct
OF erect in any of the rivers of this state,
any pond, dyke or purseinet for the cap
ture OF food fishes, under a penalty of forty
dollars for each offence.
SEC. 4. No person who has not resided in
Une state SIX months previous thereto shall
engage IN the netting capture OF catching
any 1000 fishes i'll the public waters of this
state 1or the purpose OF selling or OF eX-
portng or shipping them to other states
OF TO foreign countries; and any non-resi-
denta as aforesaid who snail violate the pro-
VISIONS OF this section shall be fined in the
sum OF seventy-tive dollars for each
oIlence, with c0ntiscatlon of all nets, boats
or Nl1n.s
ful act: Provided, THAT this section shall
lot apply TO scientific persons who shall
capture food fishes exclusively fer scien-
the purposes
SEC, The County Commissioners of
each county are hereby authorized to APP
polut d SPECIAL agent VINO shall be known
as : lsh Bailltf TO enforce the provisions
of this act, and such Bailitf shall have pow
er to arrest and take before q magistrate
ana SUBJECT to trial according to law, any
person violating any of the provisions of
This act, and the magistrate may order the
seizure OF any implement used by the Of
render III violating this act, and i'll case of
CONVICTION OF the accused may make an
order contiscating such implements to the
use OF the state. Aud the County Commits
stohers OF each county shall have author
lCy 10 pay such Baiitf such reasonable re-
m9neratlon as they may decide upon
SEC. d. Any person violating any of the
PROVISIONS OF THIS act shall be deemed
guilty. OF q mlSdemeanOr, and shall upon
CONVICTION be punished by fine and costs.
or imprisonment and costs, as direc ed in
this act; one-half of the fine to be paid to
the lnformer, and the other half into the
treasury OF the county. And in default of
the payment of any fine, tue offender shall
be committed to the county Jail for thirty
Gays. IL any seines. boats. nets or tackle
are conflscated. the presiding officer of the
court before whom the case NAV he tried
shall direct the proper officer to sell after
que notice. to the highest bidder. such con-
nscated article for the payment of the fine.
costs and expenses of sale, The costs and
charges shall be the same as may be allowed
to Sheriffs and Constables for like services
SEC. z. BY the words food fisbesv is
meant such fishes as are used for food.
SEC. 8. The County Commissioners NAV
employ prosecuting attorney 10 prosecute
cases under this act, such attorney to he
pald from the county treasury sucn COM
pensatlon as may be agreed upon by the
County Commissioners Provided. That
Ine provisions of this act shall become op-
eTatlve IN the different counties OF this
state only after publication of the act for
iOur weeks. and acceptance thereof bv the
county Commissioners,
Approved March IL, 1879. h7-60