Fisheries (Consolidation) Act 1959

Restriction on erection of fishing weirs, fishing mill dams or fixed engines in fresh water portion of rivers.

99

99.(1) It shall not be lawful for any person to erect in the freshwater portion of any river or lake any fishing weir, fishing mill dam or fixed engine.

(2) If any person erects a fishing weir, fishing mill dam or fixed engine in contravention of this section such person shall be guilty of an offence under this section and shall be liable on summary conviction thereof to a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds.

(3) Where any fishing weir, fishing mill dam or fixed engine is erected in contravention of this section the Minister may cause such fishing weir, fishing mill dam or fixed engine to be demolished, and any expenses incurred by the Minister under this subsection shall be a debt due to the Minister by the occupier of such fishing weir, fishing mill dam or fixed engine and may be recovered as a simple contract debt in any court of competent jurisdiction.

F106[(4) The provisions of this section shall not apply to long lines used solely for the capture of eels or to engines used for the capture of fish other than freshwater fish.]

(5) The Minister may, if he thinks fit, by order authorise a named person to erect, in accordance with plans approved by the Minister, at a specified place in the freshwater portion of a specified river or lake, a specified kind of fishing engine (being a fishing weir, fishing mill dam or fixed engine) for the capture of eels.

(6) Nothing in this section shall apply to—

(a) the erection by the Electricity Supply Board of—

(i) a fishing weir for the capture of eels, or

(ii) a fishing weir in exercise of the powers conferred on the said Board by section 101, or

(b) the erection, by a person authorised by an order made under subsection (5) of this section to erect a specified kind of fishing engine (being a fishing weir, a fishing mill dam or fixed engine) for the capture of eels, of that kind of fishing engine under and in accordance with such order.

Annotations

Amendments:

F106

Substituted (1.01.1988) by Fisheries (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1987 (32/1987), s. 8, S.I. No. 346 of 1987.

Modifications (not altering text):

C57

Penalties under section altered (1.07.2010) by Inland Fisheries Act 2010 (10/2010), s. 77(1), (8) and table part 1, S.I. No. 262 of 2010. Note that the full history of the alteration of penalties under this section can be found in the annotations at the beginning of the Act under “Be it enacted by the Oireachtas as follows”.

A fine of €2,000 translates into a class C fine, not greater than €2,500, as provided (4.01.2011) by Fines Act 2010 (8/2010), ss. 3, 6(2) and table ref. no. 1, S.I. No. 662 of 2010.

Alteration of certain penalties under the Principal Act, the Act of 1962 or the Act of 1994.

77.— (1) A person convicted by the District Court of an offence for which a penalty is provided in any section of the Principal Act specified in column (2) of Part 1 of the Table to this section at any reference number shall, in lieu of so much of the penalty so provided as consists of a fine, imprisonment, a fine or imprisonment, or a fine and imprisonment, be liable to the appropriate penalty specified in column (3) of that Part at that reference number, and that section shall be read and have effect accordingly.

(8) This section has effect in respect of offences committed after the establishment day.

Reference Number

Section of Principal Act

Penalty

(1)

(2)

(3)

11.

95, 96, 97, 99, 102, 103, 104, 107, 110, 114, 116, 131, 132, 164, 165, 166, 170, 173, 174, 285A, 301, 308.

A fine not exceeding €2,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or both.