RI Cont. Art I, Sec 17, 1842

"The people shall continue to enjoy and freely exercise all the rights of fishery, and the privileges of the shore, to which they have been heretofore entitled under the Charter and usages of this state."

The court so recognized in identifying the rights of the fishery and privileges of the shore "that there must have been some such 'privileges' which were then recognized as belonging to the people and which the framers and adopters of the constitution intended to change into [rights] beyond the power of the general assembly to destroy." (Jackvony v. Powel, 67 RI 218, [1941]) (emphasis mine)