The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-03-07
OYSTER CULLING AND TAXATION.


such an oyster law as should be passed by inc
next Legislature were briefly touched on VIZ:
the necessity for a thorough survey and stak-
ing out Of the oyster planting grounds OF
the State and the location and marx
ing Of the natural rocks; provision
for LONG leases of lots Of land rented
out 10 planters, and for the imposition OF
tax on tongmen and dredgers. A subject
equally as important az any Of these however,
is that Of a culling law to prevent the destruc-
ton Of the rocks and the waste Of the seed
oysters.
All Of our correspondents agree that such
law ricidly enforced is imperatiyely needed to
preserve our oysters The season for taking
oysters from the rocks should be confined to
six months Of the year. beginning say October
18th and ending April 18th. and it should be
made obligatory that all unmerchantabie
oysters. that is those Tess than two and bali
inches in length. should be thrown back into
the water. This would. as our coTespondents
write us. be in the end greatly adyantageousto
the tongers, for the biyalyes would then be
given needed time TO spawn, grow and multi
ply. and as they would be more plentiful,
tongers could make up for the reduction OF
the season in the increase in quality and
proftableness Of their takngs.
Destruction of the natural rocks should also
| be made a matter Of severe penalty. As II IL
now the tongmen seem to be intent only on
! taking as many oysters in a short space OF
| time as possible. without regard to conse-
quences. Report says that the natural rocks
are being rapidly destroyed. and that 1t IS by
no means an unusual occurrence for the rocks
and everything cliuaing to them to be torn up
bodily with dredses and patent tones' to be
Transported to the North, there 10 be re-
planted and allowed to grow so that our
choice Virginia oysters may be served up 10
| the gourmands of that section under iavoriie
and popular names. Evidently if this is al
lowed to continue the State will passiyely per-
init the killing of a goose which lays most
valuable golden egg.
The subject of the imposition of license
tax on tongmen as well as dredgers is also
| one Of supreme importance. IL has already
been seen how by the use Of patent tOngs the
beds and rocks can be desp0lled Of even the
| tinest seed. and if the State expects to de
rive any revenue at all from them it must be
| 10y a system of licenses. How this license tax
| should be imposed is a matter of much inter
est. some advocating that it should be on the
amount Of oysters taken while others con-
| tend that it should be fixed sum per capita.
! This last suggestion certainly seems the most
practicable and safe. If the license 10
| graded according TO the number Of oysters
| taken. there will be always difficulty and
confusion in determining the exact amount
| due. In fact. this would be Improbable in
every case where either dredger Of tonsman
should desire to resort 10 deception, because
it would be absolutely impossible to have an
officer with every dredge and every pair Of
tongs to watch and make note of the catch.
With license tax of $40 per capita the sum
could be easily collected; the State would re-
ceiye thousands of dollars Of annual revenue
where now she does not get cent, and the
tax once paid would be definitely settled
without any further trouble.
50 far as this subject has been considered,
then, the following features Of such an oyster
law for the State as is needed seem to be
definitely settled The planting ground
should be carefully surveyed, staked off and
divided into reasonable lots. of say ten acres
each. 10 be rented out at public outcry for
not less than 81 an acre per annum, the les
see TO be given a long tenure of at least ten
years, so that he can intelhgently engage in
the industry Of planting from both the seed
oyster and the shells; the natural rocks should
be located, and their location clearly defined
10y buoys or some other means; a license tax
per capita Of 80 year should be imposed on
dredgors and tongers, and a judicious provi-
sion for culling should be made and
stringently enforced. A shell fish commits
sion. composed of as reliable, intelligent
and responsible men as can be found any
where in the State should also be provided
for, whose duties it shall be to see the law
properly and efficiently carried out
These seem to be safe outlines for law
which, if placed upon our statute books by
the next Legislature, will be at least a most
important step in the right direction. 1t may
not turn out to be a perfect law: but it can
easily.be improved upon from time to time, as
experience may show TO be necessary and
expedent.