Mar. 17—In a sure sign of spring, New Hampshire Fish and Game is reminding ice fishermen that all bobhouses must be removed from frozen lakes and ponds no later than the end of the day on April 1.

The agency also cautioned bobhouse owners to take safety precautions, including monitoring ice thickness. Depending on weather conditions and ice thickness, it might be necessary to remove the structures before the April 1 deadline, officials said.

Once bobhouses are moved to the shoreline, they have to be relocated to your property, the agency said. Leaving them on public or private property without permission is a violation of state law.

"The law is designed to ensure that bobhouses and their contents do not fall through the ice and become a hazard to boaters, or get left behind on shore," said Lt. Robert Mancini from Fish and Game's law enforcement division.

Failure to remove a bobhouse by the deadline, or burning one on the ice, can result in fines and a one-year loss of the owner's fishing license. Fish and Game is authorized to seize any bobhouses and their contents that are not removed.

For more information, call Fish and Game at 603-271-3127.