Chap. 632.—An ACT to lay off, designate, and survey the natural oyster rocks,
beds, and shoals in Nomini and Currioman bays, in the county of Westmoreland,
and to include the same in the original geodetic survey of the natural oyster
rocks, beds, and shoals of the Commonwealth.

Approved April 2, 1902.

Whereas, by an act of the assembly entitled “an act to protect the
oyster industry of the Commonwealth,” approved February twenty-ninth,
eighteen hundred and ninety-two, as amended by an act approved March
second, eighteen hundred and ninety-four, it was provided that a true and
accurate survey should be made of all the natural oyster rocks, beds, and
shoals of the Commonwealth; and,

Whereas, through neglect of duty, mistake, or inadvertence no survey
whatever was made of the natural oyster rocks, beds, or shoals in Nomini
and Currioman bays within the limits of the county of Westmoreland, as
directed and provided by the act aforesaid; and,

Whereas, the said natural ovster rocks, beds, and shoals have, ever since
the passage of said act and from time immemorial, been used and en-
joved by the citizens of the State as a common for the taking and catch-
ing of oysters without interference or dispute until application was re-
cently made by certain persons to the oyster inspector of Westmoreland
county to have said natural oyster rocks, beds, and shoals assigned to
them ; and,

Whereas, relief has heretofore been granted by the general assembly in
similar cases: now, therefore, .

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That the county
court of Westmoreland county shall forthwith appoint three commission-
ers, who shall be persons engaged in the oyster industry, whose duty it
shall be to go out upon the waters of Nomini and Currioman bays, in the
said county of Westmoreland, and take with them a competent county
surveyor and the oyster inspector of said county, and then proceed to lay
off and designate, by metes and bounds, all of the natural oyster rocks,
beds, and shoals within said waters of Nomini and Currioman bays, in
the said county of Westmoreland, and cause the said surveyor to make a
true and accurate survey and plat of the same, showing by permanent
objects on the shore, if possible, the limits and boundaries of the said
natural oyster rocks, beds, and shoals so laid off and surveyed.

2. When the said survey has been made, a report of the same, to-
gether with a plat of the said survey, shall be made and filed in the clerk's
office of the county court of the said county of Westmoreland, and the
said survey and plat shall have the same force and effect as if the same
were a part of, and had been included in, the original geodetic survey
aforesaid made under the said act of assembly, a plat of which is now on
file in the said office. ‘The bottoms surveyed and set apart as aforesaid
under the provisions of this act shall be, and the same are hereby, de-
clared to be natural oyster rocks, beds, and shoals to be held and regu-
lated as all other natural oyster rocks, beds, or shoals which are em-
braced in the said geodetic survey; and all laws pertaining to natural
oyster rocks, beds, and shoals in the said geodetic survey shall be appli-
cable to the natural oyster rocks, beds, and shoals created and provided
for by this act: provided, that none of the provisions of this act shall
interfere with any vested rights in planting ground which any citizen
of the Commonwealth may have acquired under the laws now in force.

3. The expenses attending the said survey are to be paid by the super-
visors of the county of Westmoreland by warrants drawn on the treasurer
of said county.

4. This act shall take effect from its passage.