In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,-
(a) "fish" includes crustaceans, oysters and other shell fish;
(b) "Fishery Officer" means an officer appointed by the State Government to be the Fishery Officer for the purposes of this Act, and includes an officer appointed by that Government to exercise the powers and perform the functions of the Fishery Officer :
Provided that, no Police Officer below the rank of a Sub-Inspector shall be appointed to be the Fishery Officer, or to exercise the powers and perform the functions of the Fishery Officer.
(c) "fixed engine" means any net, cage, trap or other contrivance for taking fish, fixed in the soil or made stationary in any other way ;
(d) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act ;
(e) "private water" means water-
(i) which is the exclusive property of any person, or
(ii) in which any person has for the time being an exclusive right of fishery whether as owner, lessee or in any other capacity ; but does not include any river, canal, stream, jhil or any piece of water which ordinarily has direct communication with any river, canal, stream or jhil.
Explanation.- Water shall not cease to be "private water" by reason only of the fact that a person other than the owner thereof may have by custom a right of fishery therein ;
(f) "territorial waters" in relation to the State of Maharashtra, means any part of the open sea, adjoining the coast of the State within, a distance of six nautical miles measured from the appropriate base line according to the President's proclamation published in this behalf in the Government of India, Ministry of External Affairs, Notification No. SRO-669, dated the 22nd March 1956 ; or such other distance as may from time to time be duly fixed therefor, hereafter.