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Wildlife Sanctuary
Lake Merritt originally resided as a wide, tidal estuary (salt water marsh) that was known as the Laguna Peralta. The Pacific flyway has remained a sanctuary and stop-over for thousands of migratory birds.
Dr. Merritt, the Mayor of Oakland, declared the Lake a National Wildlife Refuge in 1869, the first in North America. A dam was proposed to regulate the tidal water flow, to increase the water level, with a retaining wall that is 3.18 miles in perimeter.
In 1915 organized feedings of the wildlife (ducks) began. In 1925 the first bird island was constructed and four additional islands were erected in 1956. These are the largest of the artificial islands that house hundreds of egrets, herons, canada goose, and many other species of birds. The islands are equiped with fresh water ponds. To ensure that marine sports and boating activities based at Lake Merritt aren't distruptive to the birds, a boom cordons off the five islands from this section.
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| California Wildlife Act |
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Statues of California
Eighteenth Session Chapter CCXXIV
An Act to prevent the destruction of fish and game in, upon and around the waters of Lake Merritt or Peralta, in the County of Alameda.
Approved March 18, 1870
The People of the State of California, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
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Section 1
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From and after the passage of this Act, it shall be unlawful for any person to take, catch, kill, capture, or in any manner destroy, any fish in the waters of Lake Merritt or Peralta, in the County of Alameda, except by the use of a hook and line; but it shall be unlawful to use any set lines, night lines or crawls in said lake.
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Section 2
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And be it further enacted, that from and after the passage of this Act, it shall be unlawful for any person to take, kill or destroy, in any manner whatever, the grouse, any species of wild duck, crane, heron, swan, pelican, snip, or any wild animal or game, of any kind or species whatever, upon, in or around Lake Merritt or Peralta, in the County of Alameda, and within one hundred rods from high water mark upon the land around said lake.
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Section 3
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Any person violating any of the provisions of this Act shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof before any Justice of the Peace of said county, or Police Judge of any city within said county, shall be punished by a fine of not exceeding five hundred dollars, and in default of payment of such fine, shall be imprisoned in the county jail of said county, or within a city prison within said county, not more than six months nor less than one month.
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Section 4
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The fines collected under this Act shall be paid into the county treasury, in all cases prosecuted before a Justice of the Peace, and into the city treasury in all cases of prosecution before a Police Judge of any city within the county.
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Section 5
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This Act shall take effect and be in full force on and after its passage.
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