Demarcation Line
A Marine Waters Fishing license is required downstream of the indicated lines or in areas designated as being entirely in the marine district. Unless indicated below, the demarcation line is the first bridge upstream from the mouth.
Shoreline Fishing and Property Rights: While much of the Connecticut shore is privately owned, the coastal tidelands actually belong to all the people—not just in terms of our environmental and cultural heritage, but in a specific legal sense as well. Under the common law public trust doctrine, a body of law dating back to Roman times, coastal states (as sovereigns) hold the submerged lands and waters waterward of the mean high water line in trust for the public. The general public may freely use these intertidal and subtidal lands and waters, whether they are beach, rocky shore, or open water, for traditional public trust uses such as fishing, shellfishing, boating, sunbathing, or simply walking along the beach.
| Waterbody | Location of Demarcation Line |
|---|---|
| Alewife Cove, New London-Waterford | Entirely in marine district |
| Back River, Groton | Entirely in marine district |
| Beebe Cove, Groton | Entirely in marine district |
| Blackhall River, Old Lyme | Route 156 |
| Branford River, Branford | Montowese St |
| Bride Brook, East Lyme | First railroad crossing |
| Bruces Brook, Bridgeport-Stratford | Stratford Avenue |
| Byram River, Greenwich | First railroad crossing |
| Clinton River, Clinton (Indian River) | Route1 |
| Connecticut River, Old Lyme-Old Saybrook | Interstate 95 bridge |
| Cove River, West Haven | Shore Route 122 |
| Duck River, Old Lyme | Entirely in marine district |
| East Creek, Guilford | The gates at Guilford dock |
| East River, Guilford-Madison | Route 1 |
| Farm River, East Haven | Route 142 |
| Five Mile River, Darien-Norwalk | Route 136 |
| Four Mile River, E. Lyme-Old Lyme | First railroad crossing |
| Goodwives River, Darien | Entirely in marine district |
| Graniteville Brook, Waterford (Millstone Brook) | First railroad crossing |
| Hammonasset River, Clinton-Madison | Route 1 |
| Hammonds Cove, Waterford | Entirely in marine district |
| Horse Neck Brook, Greenwich | Junction with mouth of harbor |
| Housatonic River, Milford-Stratford | Merritt Parkway |
| Indian Harbor, Greenwich | First railroad crossing |
| Indian River, Milford | Route 162 |
| Jordan Cove, Waterford | First railroad crossing |
| Lieutenant River, Old Lyme | Route 156 |
| Menunketesuck River, Westbrook | 500 ft. north of Route 1 |
| Mianus River, Greenwich | Dam north of Boston Post |
| Mile Creek, Old Lyme | Entirely in marine district |
| Mill River, Fairfield | Dam at Harbor |
| Mill River, New Haven | Tide gates at State St. |
| Muddy Brook, Westport | Route 136 |
| Mumford Cove, Groton | Entirely in marine district |
| Mystic River, Stonington-Groton | 500 ft. north of Route 1 |
| Neck River, Madison | Route 1 |
| Negro Brook, Stratford | Route 110 |
| Niantic River, East Lyme-Waterford | Golden Spur Bridge, Route 1 |
| Noroton River, Darien-Stamford | Boston Post Road |
| Norwalk River, Norwalk | Wall St. |
| Oyster River, Milford | Route 162 |
| Oyster River, Old Saybrook | Route 1 |
| Palmer’s Cove, Groton | Entirely in marine district |
| Pataganset Cove, East Lyme | First railroad crossing |
| Patchogue River, Westport | Route 1 |
| Pawcatuck River, Stonington | 500 ft. north of Route 1 |
| Pequonnock River, Bridgeport | North Avenue |
| Pequot-Sepos Cove, Stonington | 500 ft. north of Route 1 |
| Poquonock River, Groton | 500 ft. north of Route 1 |
| Pumpkin Ground Brook | Stratford. Route 110 |
| Quiambaug Cove, Stonington | 500 ft. north of Route 1 |
| Quinnipiac River, New Haven | Route 17 |
| Rippowam River, Stamford | First railroad crossing |
| Rooster River, Bridgeport | North Avenue |
| Sasco Brook, Westport | Buckleys Mill Dam above Route1 |
| Saugatuck River, Westport | Kings Highway |
| Shaws Cove, New London | Entirely in marine district |
| Stonington Harbor, Lambert Cove and Quanaduck Cove, Stonington | 500 ft. north of Route1 |
| Stony Brook, Westport | Riverside Avenue |
| Thames River, Groton-New London | 500 ft. north of Route 1 |
| Three Mile River, Old Lyme | First railroad crossing |
| Tokeneke Brook, Darien | Old Farm |
| Wepawaug River, Milford | Route 162 |
| Wequetequock River, Stonington | 500 ft. North of Route 1A. |
| West River, Guilford | Route 146 |
| West River, West Haven | Tide gates at Orange Avenue |
| Winthrop Cove, New London | Entirely in marine district |
Please contact the Fisheries Division with any questions.
Phone: 860-434-6043
E-mail: deep.marine.fisheries@ct.gov
Content last reviewed in July 2026.