1882.] SHELL-FISH COMMISSIONERS’ REPORT. 57 
and may yet be resorted to in the not infrequent cases of 
inexplicable failure of beds carefully prepared to “catch a Oo 
set.” 
The Oyster Growers’ Association say, as has fae been 
shown, that the oyster industry of Connecticut is in ad- 
vance of that of any other State. “The cultivation has so 
far increased the supply that instead of paying New York 
a large amount annually for oysters, as we did ten years 
ago, we now export to New York, Rhode Island, Massa- 
chusetts, California, and Europe, oysters to a very large 
amount every year.” In view of this testimony from the 
best informed men in the business, the commissioners have 
no apprehension that the proposed tax will retard or in 
any way impair its vigorous growth. 
Some questions tae been ed to the commission- 
ers in respect to the law providing for a year’s residence 
before a person can be permitted to take a grant or assign- 
ment of oyster grounds. It is believed to be the true 
policy of the State to throw open these grounds to any one, 
resident or non-resident, who is willing to invest his capital 
in making them fruitful. An amendment is therefore rec- 
ommended, striking out such provision: and that grants 
and assignments be permitted not only to all persons, but 
to corporate associations. 
It has been the policy of the State en) the earliest 
times to leave the management of oyster fisheries to.towns 
in whose adjacent waters the oyster beds were situated; 
with authority to make rules and regulations for their 
proper protection and enjoyment. One of the earliest laws 
upon the subject 1 is as follows, viz: “Be it enactéd, ete., 
that any town in this State shall have authority in Town 
meeting to make Rules and Ordinances for regulating the 
Fisheries of Clams and Oysters, within their respective 
limits or the waters and flats to them adjoining and belong- 
ing, and for Preservation of the same; and to impose such 
Penalties as shall be thought proper by such Towns for 
the Breach of such Rules and Ordinances. Provided, That 
no such Penalty shall exceed the sum of Five Pounds law- | 
ful money.” 
8 
