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| | Shoreline Access and Public Sidewalks - Washington Fly Fishing |
 | | In England, some rivers and their banks were fenced off by the medieval Saxon and Norman kings, for private use by the kings and noblemen, but public rights to fish and boat were reaffirmed by Magna Charta in 1215. |
 | | For example, the Jackson River in Virginia is navigable because, as the court ruled, “canoes can navigate the upper river without trouble except during the late summer, and canoeing experts consider the Jackson to be a very fine canoeing stream, except for troubles with landowners along the river.” Northwest Ordinance of 1787, 1 Stat. |
 | | On rivers that are navigable for title purposes, the beds and banks are public trust land up to the ordinary high water line, (not just a public easement,) and the adjacent private lands (or other types of government lands) begin at the ordinary high water line. |
| www.washingtonflyfishing.com /board/showthread.php?t=23009 (4927 words) |
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