1882. ] LAWS RELATING TO FISHERIES. 125 
CHAPTER CLX. 
An Act Establishing a State Commission for the Designation of Oyster 
Grounds. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General 
Assembly convened : 
Section 1. The state shall exercise exclusive jurisdiction and 
control over all shell-fisheries which are located in that area of 
the state which is within that part of Long Island sound and its 
tributaries bounded westerly and southerly by the state of New 
York, easterly by the state of Rhode Island, and northerly by a 
line following the coasts of the state at high water, which shall cross 
all its bays, rivers, creeks, and inlets at such places nearest Long 
Island sound as are within and between points on opposite shores 
from one of which objects and what is done on the opposite shore 
can be reasonably discerned with the naked eye, or could be dis- 
cerned but for intervening islands. And all shell-fisheries not 
within said area shall be and remain within the jurisdiction and 
control of the towns in which they are located under the same laws 
and regulations and through the same selectmen and oyster com- 
mittees as heretofore. If a difference shall arise between any 
town and the commissioners as hereinafter provided for, as to the 
boundary line between said town and the area so to be mapped, 
said town, by its selectmen, may bring its petition to the superior 
court for the county within which said town is situated, to de- 
termine said boundary line, and said court upon reasonable notice 
to the parties shall hear said petition and appoint a committee to 
ascertain the facts in such case and report the same to said court, 
and said court shall thereupon make such order as may be proper 
in the premises. 
Sec. 2. The three fish commissioners of the state now in office, 
and their successors, shall also be and constitute a board of com- 
missioners of shell-fisheries, and be empowered to make or cause 
to be made a survey and map of all the grounds within the said 
area in Long Island sound which have been or may be designated 
for the planting or cultivation of shell-fish ; shall ascertain the 
,ownership thereof, and how much of the same is actually in use 
for said purposes ; they shall also cause a survey of all the natural 
oyster beds in said area, and shall locate and delineate the same 
on said map, which survey and map when completed shall not 
cost a sum exceeding twenty-five hundred dollars, and shall report 
