An Act to Amend Act No. 1499, as Amended

March 8, 1922

ACT NO. 3012

AN ACT TO AMEND ACT NUMBERED FOURTEEN HUNDRED AND NINETY-NINE, ENTITLED "AN ACT TO PREVENT THE USE OF EXPLOSIVES AND POISONS FOR TAKING FISH IN THE WATERS OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS," AS AMENDED BY ACT NUMBERED SIXTEEN HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-FIVE, MAKING IT UNLAWFUL TO USE THE NET KNOWN AS "DALA" WITHOUT THE PROPER PERMIT, AND INCREASING THE PENALTY FOR THE VIOLATION THEREOF

SECTION 1. Section one of Act Numbered Fourteen hundred and Ninety-nine, as amended by Act Numbered Sixteen hundred and eighty-five, is hereby amended to read as follows:

"SECTION 1. The use of dynamite or other explosive for the killing or taking of fish, or under water for any purpose except in the execution of bona fide engineering work and the destruction of wrecks or obstructions to navigation, shall be unlawful: Provided, That nothing in this Act shall be understood to interfere with or prohibit the use of mechanical bombs for the killing of whales, crocodiles, sharks, or other large dangerous fishes: And provided, further, That the Secretary of the Interior, upon recommendation of the Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources, may issue permits for the use of explosives in taking fish in limited numbers for scientific purposes only."

SECTION 2. Section two of said Act is hereby amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 2. The use of any poisonous substance liable to cause the death of fishes for the taking of the same, or the placing of any such substance in fresh or marine waters of the Philippine Islands where it may cause the death of fishes and is intended to cause such death; or the gathering by any means of the fishes killed by the action of poisonous substances, dynamite or other explosive, shall be unlawful: Provided, however, That the Secretary of the Interior, upon recommendation of the Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources, may issue permits for the use of poisonous substances in taking fish in limited numbers for scientific purposes only.

"It shall likewise be unlawful to fish with the net commonly known as dala in water more than three meters in depth in any lake, bay or the open sea, without a permit or authorization granted by the Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources, upon favorable recommendation of the Bureau of Science, which permit or authorization may be cancelled at any time, in the discretion of said Secretary."

SECTION 3. Section three of said Act is hereby amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 3. Any person violating the provisions of this Act shall, for each offense, be punished by a fine of not less than two hundred pesos nor more than one thousand, and by imprisonment for not less than three months nor more than one year, in the discretion of the court. All explosives, poisons, boats, tackle, apparel, furniture, or other apparatus used to aid in the violation of this Act shall be forfeited to the Government. The confiscated articles shall be turned over to the Chief of the Philippine Constabulary."

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on its approval.

Approved, March 8, 1922.