Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1883-07-05


Our OYSTER MANIFESTATION. II.
w. Vickers, States Attorney for Kent
County, in response to circular from
= Committee representing the Canned
Goods Exchange Of Baltimore, and
inquiring as to the destruction of the
oyster beds, writes in the following
comprehensive manner:
1t will be interesting perhaps for
your committee TO know that, six or
seven years ago, it was by no means
an uncommon thing to hear in our
court from the witness-stand. the bold
assertion, that dredging instead OF
neing injurious and hurtlul, was on the
contrary of actual advantage to oyster
beds; that it was necessary cultiva-
ton of the oysters; that the beds and
per force would increase the more bars
rapidly, aud under such treatment
become inexhaustible even for dredg-
ing purposes. But all such opinions
and arguments, like the oyster beds,
have of late years disappeared for
ever. There is no controversy on this
subject any longerl TIE oyster and
the argument have disappeared to-
gether.
Many beds or bars, said by compe-
tent persons to be inexhaustible to
tongmen. have been entirely destroyed
by frequent and persistent dredging
and these very oysters were sup
posed TO be under the protection Of
the law and dredging prohibited. If
such be the condition of oyster beds
protected by the Act of Assembly, it
is but fair to presume that on grounds
not forbidden, oyster beds must be in
sadly depleted condition-where-
ever accessible to the dredge.
The oyster beds or bars within the
jurisdiction of this county are nearly
all destroyed by illegal dredging. To
such an extent has the depletion of
the beds been carried that it is now
said that dredging is barely profta
BILE in our waters. Oysters of late
years are very much smaller and poor
er in quality, having to a great extent
lost that peculiar succulency and nut
ty flavor. Persistent dredging is un-
doubtedly the cause.
The fact that the dredger in his
haste to get away does not stop to
Gull on the bar, is one of the princi-
pal causes of the rapid destruction of
the oysters.
The remedy for the evil is plain,
and, / think, practical. If the oys-
tiers are not to be exterminated they
must have even more rest and time
to recuperate than the present Act Of
Assembly provides The general pro-
visions Of the present act are common
dable with the above exception and
that of the penalties provided, which
are insufficient to protect the oyster
beds. except as against law abiding
men engaged in oyster dredging-but
unfortunately for the maintenance of
the law and the preservation of the
oyster beds. law abiding dredger is
a rare sail in these waters.
The penalties in the law are mad
equate. and do not restrain the large
majority of dredgers. AS a class
dredgers are persistent breakers,
and generally Indifferent to the light
penalties inflicted upon them. /
would add that they are regardless of
the best interests of the vessel owners,
but the owners as a rule unfortunate
ly encourage violations of the law
rather than seek to check and restrain
their employees from doing wrong.
1t cannot be denied that vessel own
ers are largely responsible for the an
inhalation Of the oyster beds in for
hidden waters. 1t is an open secret
that they grub the vessel to last but
for a short voyage. The captain would
lose his position or be subject to re-
ductiOn of salary to return to port
without full cargo he feels obliged
therefore to invade forbidden ground,
or TO violate the law in some other
particular in order to secure his car
go of oysters and return to Baltimore
before his grub runs out. As q class
vessel owners are as Indifferent TO
the protection OF thezoyster beds as
the dredgers themselves are known
a. L.