73Restriction with respect to fishing weirs or fixed engines in fresh water portion of rivers or lakes.N.I.
(1)It shall not be lawful for any person to erect or to use in the freshwater portion of any river or lake any fishing weir or a fixed engine of any description, unless that fishing weir or a fixed engine of that description was in existence and was lawfully used therein by that person or a predecessor in title of his during the open fishing season of one or more of the five years immediately preceding 1st January 1965.
(2)If any person erects or uses a fishing weir or fixed engine in contravention of this section he shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding [F1 £1,000] or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to both such fine and such imprisonment.
(3)The prohibition in subsection (1) shall not apply to—
(a)long lines used solely for the capture of eels; or
(b)any eel weir or any fixed engine for the capture of eels established and used in accordance with regulations made under section 15; or
(c)engines used in accordance with byelaws for the capture of fish other than salmon or eels.