1882. ] LAWS RELATING TO FISHERIES. 129 
as provided for in this act ; their accounts for such service to be 
audited by the comptroller and paid by the treasurer of the state. 
Sec. 8. All designations and transfers of oyster, clam, or mus- 
sel grounds within the waters of Long Island sound heretofore 
made (except designations made of natural oyster, clam, or mus- 
sel beds), are hereby validated and confirmed. 
Sec. 9. All the provisions of the statutes of this state relating 
to the planting, cultivating, working, and protecting shell-fisheries 
upon grounds heretofore designated under said laws, except as 
provided for in section eight of this act and as are inconsistent 
with this act, are hereby continued and made applicable to such 
designations as may be made under the provisions of this act. 
Sec. 10. When it shall be shown to the satisfaction of the said 
commissioners that any natural oyster or clam bed has been desig- 
nated by them to any person or persons, the said commissioners shall 
petition the superior court of the county having jurisdiction over 
the said grounds to appoint a committee to inquire and report to 
the said court the facts as to such grounds, and said court shall in 
such case appoint such committee, who after twelve days’ notice to 
the petitioners and respondents shall hear such petition, and report 
the facts thereon to said court; and if it shall appear that any 
natural oyster or clam beds, or any part thereof, have been so des- 
ignated, the said court may order that said grounds may revert to 
the state, after a reasonable time for the claimant of the same to 
remove any shell-fish he may have planted or cultivated thereon 
in good faith, and said court may further order that all stakes and 
buoys marking the same be removed, the costs in said petition to 
be taxed at the discretion of the court. 
Sec. 11. Any commissioner who shall knowingly grant to any 
person or persons a franchise as hereinbefore provided in any natu- 
ral oyster or clam bed, shall be subject to a fine of not less than 
one hundred dollars nor more than five hundred dollars, and if 
such franchise is granted the grant shall be void, and all moneys 
paid thereon shall be forfeited to the state ; and the said commis- 
sioners shall in no case grant to any person or persons a right to 
plant or cultivate shell-fish which shall interfere with any estab- 
lished right of fishing, and if any such grant is made the same 
shall be void. 
Sec. 12. The superior court of New Haven county, on the ap- 
plication of the selectmen of the town of Orange, and the superior 
court of any county, on the application of the oyster-ground com- 
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