Punjab Fisheries Act, 1914
No: 2 Dated: Feb, 13 1914
The Punjab Fisheries Act, 1914
Act No. 2 of 1914
An Act to extend the law relating to Fisheries in Punjab.
Whereas it is expedient to extend the law relating to Fisheries inPunjab, it is hereby enacted as follows:-
1. Title and extent. - (1) This act may be called the Punjab Fisheries Act, 1914.
(2) It extends to the whole of Punjab.
2A. Definitions. - In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant is the subject or context -
(1) "Fishery Officer" means any person whom the State Government or any officer empowered by the State Government in this behalf may from time to time appoint by name, or as holding an office, to carry out all or any of the purposes of this Act, or to do anything required by this Act or any rule made thereunder to be done by a Fishery Officer :
Provided that no police officer below the rank of Sub-Inspector shall be so empowered.
(2) "Fishing Offence" means an offence punishable under this Act or under any rule made thereunder.
3. Prohibition and licensing of fishing in selected waters by rules of State Government. - (1) The State Government may make rules for the purposes hereinafter in this section mentioned, and shall in such rules, declare the waters, not being private waters, to which all or any or them shall apply.
(2) The State Government may by notification apply such rules or any of them to any private water with the consent in writing of the owner thereof and of all persons having for the time being any exclusive right of fishery therein.
(3) Such rules may -
(a) prohibit fishing except under licence and regulate the granting of such licences, the fees payable therefore, and the conditions to be inserted therein;
(b) prescribe seasons in which the killing of any fish of any prescribed species shall be prohibited; and
(c) prescribe a minimum size of weight below which no fish of any prescribed species shall be killed.
(4) In making any rule under this section the State Government may provide for
(a) the seizure, forfeiture and removal of any apparatus erected or used for fishing in contravention of the rules, and
(b) the forfeiture of any fish taken by means of any such apparatus.
(5) The power to make rules under this section is subject to the condition that they shall be made after previous publication.
4. Power to prohibit sale of fish. - The State Government may by notification prohibit in any specified areas the offering or exposing for sale or barter of any fish killed in contravention of any rule made under section 3(3)(b) and (c) of this Act.
5. Penalty. - The breach of any rule made under section 3 or of any prohibition notified under section 4 shall be punishable with fine which may extend to one hundred rupees, and when the breach is a continuing breach, with a further fine which may extend to ten rupees for every day after the date of the first conviction during which the breach is proved to have been persisted in.