State of Connecticut. 
role OAT. 
To His Excellency, the Governor, and the General Assembly 
of the State of Connecticut : 
The Commissioners of shell-fisheries respectfully report: 
By the act establishing a State Commission for the des- 
ignation of oyster grounds, passed at the last session of 
the Legislature, the three Fish Commissioners of the State, 
then in office and their successors, were constituted a 
Board of Commissioners of Shell-fisheries; and a great 
number of new and important duties were imposed upon 
them touching the shell-fish grounds of Long Island Sound 
belonging to the State, the particulars of which will be 
found in the first ten sections of the act, a copy of which is 
appended to this report. 
This act was approved April 14th, but did not go into 
effect until May Ist. The work done under it by the Com- 
missioners covers, at the date of this report, a period of 
only seven months. During this brief period they have 
labored faithfully to qualify themselves for the particular 
duties imposed upon them, and have accomplished the 
greater part of the necessary preliminary work. 
In view of the importance of accurate surveying and map- 
ping of grounds within State jurisdiction, Mr. James P. 
Bogart, graduate of the Sheffield Scientific School, was 
appointed Engineer of the Board, at the very beginning of 
the work. He was highly recommended as a person of 
capacity and efficiency, with considerable experience in the 
special work required of him; and it is due to him to say that 
in the able and zealous discharge of his office he has won 
the confidence and esteem of the Board and fully justified 
the flattering recommendations which secured his appoint- 
