THE OYSTEE FISHERY OF CONNECTICUT. 
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Sec. 17. Forbids taking any oysters or oyster sbells from the Thames River between March 1 and 
November 1. 
Sec. 18. Every person who shall willfully injure any inclosure legally designated for oyster plant- 
ing, remove any buoys or stakes, injure any oysters, remove any shells from such inclosure, or willfully 
deposit mud there, shall be subject to heavy penalties, after trial before a justice of the peace, with 
right of appeal to the superior court. 
Sec. 19. Provides penalties for injury to dams or looks of any oj'stor pond. 
Sec. 20. Prohibits taking “shells or shellfish” between sunset and sunrise, from any navigable 
waters of the State (except clams in Branford harbor from April to October), under line of $50 to $100, 
or imprisonment, or both. 
Sec. 21. Prohibits the taking of shellfish, or the use of spears for taking fish, within any area 
designated for oyster planting, within 2 miles of the chores of Branford or East Haven ; penalty, fine 
of from $7 to $100, or imprisonment. 
Sec. 22. Prohibits the use of dredges in New Haven Harbor west of a line froiii Farm River to 
Scotch Cap, and north of a line from Scotch Cap to Southwest Ledge, and then westerly to Hines’s jdace 
in Orange; prohibits taking shellfish in Morris Creek, except on or adjacent to one’s own laud; and 
Itrohibits dredging hy steam anyw'here away from uj)on one’s own ground, more than 2 days in the week, 
under heavy penalities, which may be imposed by a justice of the peace, subject to an appeal to the 
superior court. Dredging on one’s own ground is allowed, however, in East Haven waters to the 
owners of ground southerly of aline drawn from The Chimneys, through Quixe’s Ledge and Adam’s 
Fall, until it intersects a line drawn from the old light house to Savin Rock. 
Sec. 23. All sheriffs and constables shall, and any other persons may, seize any boat or vessel 
illegally used iu dredging, with its tackle, apparel, and furniture, wherever found, wdthin 1 year there- 
after; and, if condemned, the boat, etc., shall be sold after the prescribed form. 
Sec. 24. When there shall be found iu any waters of this State on board any boat or vessel, 
illegally used under the provisions of this chapter, any dredge or shells and shellfish, it shall be prima 
facie evidence that said boat or vessel was used contrary to the provisions of said chapter. 
Sec. 25. No person shall gather shells or shellfish in any waters of this .State for himself or his 
employer unless he and his employer are at that time, and have been for 6 months previous, actual 
inhabitants of the State. 
Sec. 26. Refers to lobsters. 
LAWS SINCE 1875. 
Since the revision of the statutes in 1875, the following additional laws have been 
enacted : 
March 16, 1878. — When oysters have been planted on any ground legally designated, and doubt 
arises as to the jurisdiction of neighboring towns over it, prosecutions against the owner may be made 
in either of the three towns nearest. 
March 27, 1878.— No committee or selectmen of any town shall designate, and no person shall 
mark, stake out, or inclose for the cultivation of oysters, clams, or mussels, any natural clam bed. 
March 27, 1878. — No person shall take or carry away from Branford or Farm Rivers any oyster 
shells or seed oysters, for the purpose of planting them on private bods ; or more than 2 bushels of 
oysters in a single day ; or shall use tongs for taking oysters there between May 1 and October 1 ; 
under penalty of forfeiting $14 before a justice of the peace iu Branford or East Haven, with a right 
of appeal to the suxrerior court. 
NAVIGATION LAWS. 
There are two clauses iu the State’s uavigation laws (chapter viii) which concern 
oysters, as follows : 
Sec. 19. Every person who shall deposit any substance, except oyster shells, in the harbors of New 
Haven, Bridgeport, and Stamford, shall be fined from $50 to $500, or imprisonment, or both. 
Sec. 20. Gives the city court or a justice of the peace jiirisdiction in such cases. 
