Sec. 26-232. Taking oysters from natural beds or the Housatonic or Saugatuck Rivers.
Sec. 26-232. Taking oysters from natural beds or the Housatonic or Saugatuck
Rivers. (a) Any person who (1) between the twentieth day of July and the twentieth day
of September, gathers or takes any oysters or shells from any natural oyster bed specified
in section 26-193 other than any such bed in the Housatonic River, (2) between the
twentieth day of July and the twentieth day of September in any year, gathers or takes
any oysters or shells in the Saugatuck River, or (3) between the twentieth day of July
and the twentieth day of October in any year, gathers or takes any oysters or shells in
the Housatonic River shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars or imprisoned
not more than thirty days or both; provided nothing in this section shall be construed to
prohibit the gathering or taking of shells or mussels by the use of tongs in said Housatonic
River below a line drawn from a stake on the west bank of said river, at Quimber's Neck
Point, so called, and running thence in a northeasterly direction to a stake on the east
side of said river. Said stakes shall be located and maintained at said points by the
selectmen of the town of Stratford, and a certificate of such location by said selectmen
shall be recorded in the office of the town clerk of said town of Stratford. Nothing in
this chapter or in chapter 492 shall be construed as prohibiting the excavation of material
in deepening the channels of navigable waters by work authorized by the United States
government.
(b) The Commissioner of Agriculture, upon application of the Stratford Shellfish
Commission, may, at any time, close the season for the taking of any shellfish in the
Housatonic River for purposes of conserving the resource.
(1949 Rev., S. 5064; P.A. 78-334, S. 13; P.A. 85-183, S. 1, 2; P.A. 95-91, S. 1, 2; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 146(e);
P.A. 04-189, S. 1.)
History: P.A. 78-334 raised maximum fine from $50 to $100; P.A. 85-183 extended applicability of provisions to the
Saugatuck River; P.A. 95-91 amended Subsec. (a) to move the opening day of the season for taking oysters from the
Housatonic River from September 20th to October 20th and added a new Subsec. (b) re closure of the season in the
Housatonic River by the Commissioner of Agriculture, effective May 31, 1995; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 replaced
Commissioner of Agriculture with Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective July 1, 2004; P.A.
04-189 repealed Sec. 146 of June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, thereby reversing the merger of the Departments of Agriculture
and Consumer Protection, effective June 1, 2004.