Chap. 0054 An Act to prevent the destruction of the Fish called Pickerel or Pike, in the Ponds in the Towns of Braintree, Canton and Randolph, in the County of Norfolk.

Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Itepresentatives, in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That from and after the first day of March next, it shall not be lawful for any person or persons to take any fish, called the pickerel or pike, in any of the ponds called the Great Pond, in the towns of Braintree and Randolph, and the Little Pond in the town of Braintree, and the pond called Ponka-poag, in the towns of Canton and Randolph, from the first day of December, to the first day of April, in each and every year; and every person offending contrary to the true intention and meaniug of this act, upon conviction thereof before any Justice of the Peace within the County of Norfolk, shall pay a fine of fifty cents for each and every pickerel, or pike, so taken, to and for the use of the person who shall sue for the same, together with all legal costs of prosecution : Provided, nevertheless, that either of the towns of Braintree, Canton or Randolph, may, at their anual meetings in the month of March or April, suspend the aforesaid act, so far as respects the ponds in their respective towns, for the term of one year.

Sec. 2. Be it further enacted, That all prosecutions for any violations of the provisions of this act, shall be instituted within thirty days from the time of committing the same.

[Approved by the Governor, January 31st, 1823.]