Shannon Fisheries Act, 1935

Prohibition of taking fish with a net.

25.—(1) It shall not be lawful for any person (other than a person and the successors in title of a person who, during the period of twelve months immediately preceding the passing of this Act, has lawfully exercised a right of fishing with nets or a net in the fresh waters hereinafter mentioned) to fish for, catch, or take or attempt to catch or take fish (other than eels) with a net of any kind in the fresh waters of the River Shannon within the meaning of the Fisheries Acts, 1842 to 1925.

(2) The foregoing sub-section of this section shall not apply to or render unlawful the use of a landing net solely as an auxiliary to lawful angling with rod and line or the use of a landing or other net for the purpose of lawfully removing fish from a lawful fishing weir.

(3) Every person who fishes for, catches or takes or attempts to catch or take fish in contravention of this section shall be guilty of an offence under this section and shall be liable on summary conviction thereof to a fine not exceeding twenty pounds, or at the discretion of the Court, to imprisonment for any term not exceeding two months, and shall also in either case forfeit every net, boat and other instrument used in the commission of such offence.

(4) An offence under this section may be prosecuted at the suit of the Board or of the board of conservators within whose district the offence is committed.