The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-09-10
now 10 SAVE rnE OYSTERS.
Something Must Be Done to Preserve the
Chesapeake Beds.


From the Baltimore Sun.
The Canned Goods exchange some time
ago sen. out several hundred circulars to
residents of the Maryland and Virginia
tidc-water counties These requested
replies to inquiries whether the oyster
supply was diminishing, what was the
cause, and what was the best remedy for
the evil and whether the present laws are
sufficient to reach the subject Over 100
replies have been received, and the com
nj e. Il the exchange summarized the
contents as follows:
The opinion expressed is unanimous
that the supply is largely diminishing
throughout the whole area of the bay
and its tributaries, and the expression is
| often used that if something is not done
without delay to stop the evils the ruin
viii he beyond repair. The causes assigned
are mainly the destruction of the spawn
| by those who operate under the provisions
of the law, which allows five bushels per
day to be taken by each planter for the
bedding purposes, it being indisputabie
| that millions of oysters can be destroyed
in an hour during spawning season by
single boat. The disturbance of the oys-
| tiers during the summer (Which is the
| growing season under the same law is
| also growing evil. The spawning season
begins about the last week in April, but
May is the principal month, and dredging
longing and scraping securing this time
work annihiliatiOn. Instances are cited
of where new logs being lowed up the
river during May become covered with the
spawn. This occurs in no other month,
and will not happen to old logs, as they
are TO Shiny to hold the spawn. Where
the natural rocks or bars have disappear
ed, reefs or winrows of shells should be
| thrown across the beds of streams at right
angles to the current, and the spawn or
spat will attach to them. Here they should
be undisturbed during the summer to
allow them time for growth. Another
great evil, the taking of seed oysters out
of the bay to Northern waters, is furnish.
! ing ammunition to commercial rivals for
our obstruction, as it robs our natural
magazines for the benefit of their artifi
cial ones The great size of many of the
| dredging boats and the immense weight
of many of the large;dredges used are also
said to be causes of much evil, as more
| oysters are crushed or buried and smoth-
cred in the mud'than are taken, and the
| ground and bars are utterly ruined
Opinions regarding the sufficiency of the
existing laws differ considerably, many
saying they are not what are required,
others that they are sufficient if enforced
and many that the police boats are not
numerous enough, while some assert that
the oyster navy is mere politician ma
chine. 1t is said by all that one way the
present law causes great mischief, as
vessels steal load fromforbidden ground
at night, and then to avoid detection sail
out into free water and Gull them, thus
sacrificing all the seed, which will perish
in the mud. whereas if culled on the rock
when taken the supply would continue.
Protection of any kind is regarded as fol
| ly if seed and small oysters are allowed 10
he taken at any time, except for planting
The remedy for the evils must be simple.
general and adopted both Maryland and
| Virginia. A close season, smaller boats,
| lighter dredgers, retention of the spat or
seed in the state, more police boats, and
responsibility for illegal taking to bemore
direct and general are some of the sug-
gestions made The committee are earn
estly studying the situation, and it is
probable that in few weeks they may
be able to offer some substitute for the
| laws that exist at present that will meet
/ II requirements and save this great
industry and speciality of our state from
the min that is impending