8 REPORT OF THE SHELL-FISH COMMISSIONERS 
SHELL-FISH COMMISSION. 
On the first day of July, 1889, the Board of Shell-fish Com- 
missioners met at their office in New Haven, and organized by 
appointing William M. Hudson, chairman. This report will be 
the first one made by the new Commission, and will include an 
account of what has been done during the fiscal year ending 
June 380, 1890, with such comments and suggestions as may 
seem pertinent, for the information of the General Assembly. 
During the year, eighteen (18) applications for oyster grounds, 
embracing an area of six hundred and fifty-one and seven-tenths 
(651.7) acres, have been made to the Commissioners, and upon 
these and those made previously eleven (11) deeds have been 
granted, covering one hundred and ninety-three and eight-tenths 
(193.8) acres, and the money received for them has been sent 
to the Treasurer of the State. 
The total receipts of the office for the year have been 
$7,149.44, and the total disbursements, including the pay and 
expenses of the Commissioners, have been $4,295.30, leaving a 
surplus of receipts over disbursements of $2,854.14. The details 
of receipts and disbursements will be found in the financial 
statement on another page. 
SURRENDER OF OYSTER GROUNDS. 
Section 6 of the original act of 1831, establishing a State 
commission for the designation of oyster grounds, provided 
that, “ when, after the occupancy and cultivation of any grounds 
designated as aforesaid by the grantee or his legal representa- 
tives, it shall appear to said commissioners that said grounds 
are not suited for the planting or cultivation of oysters, said 
grantee, upon receiving a certificate to that effect from said 
commissioners, may surrender the same or any part thereof, 
not less than one hundred acres, to the State, by an instrument 
