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71 Vt. 374

State v. Eldredge

Supreme Court of Vermont

Decided May 29, 1899

Supreme Court of Vermont · decided 1899-05-29

<p>V. S. 4568 — Right of Commissioners to Restock. — When the fish and game commissioners, under V. S. 4568, have stocked a pond or stream with fish and prohibited fishing therein for three years, and the three years have elapsed, their power in respect to such waters is not exhausted, but they may restock it and again prohibit fishing therein.</p> <p>Boatable Waters — Information Need not Negative Constitution, c.2, § 40.— An information under V. S. 4568, for illegal fishing, need not allege that the waters are not boatable, nor that they are not such other waters (not private property) as the inhabitants of the State have a right to fish in by virtue of the constitution of Vermont, c. 2, § 40; for such are matters of defense, as held in State v. Bevins, 70 Vt. 574.</p>

Cited by 1 later decisions — most recently December 1911

1 state decisions

Relies on State v. Bevins

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1899-05-29

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Taet, C. J.

¶1The respondent contends that when the fish and game commissioners have stocked a pond or stream with fish, and prohibited fishing therein for three years, and the three years have elapsed, their power in respect to such stream is exhausted; that they cannot restock it and again prohibit fishing therein. Such is not the construction we give the statute. One stocking of the pond or stream may be unsuccessful, and a repetition of the experiment necessary to effect the purposes contemplated by the statute. The limitation of three years provided in the statute does not imply that fishing can never be prohibited in one stream, for a longer time, but that one experiment shall not continue beyond that period.

¶2It is further contended that there is no allegation in the information that the waters in question were not boatable nor that they were private property, and that by the constitution, c. 2, § 40, the inhabitants of this State can fish in all boatable waters and other waters, (not private property,) and that these exceptions should be negatived in the information. That they need not be was held in State v. Bevins, 70 Vt. 574.

¶3 Judgment that there is no error in the proceedings and the respondent takes nothing by his exceptions. Execution of the sentence ordered.

Thompson, J. dissents.
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