The Pascagoula democrat-star., 1891-03-06
TgE sLiBirt OYSTER Law.

Luz l'il'N ~ = - ~ ~ ll'pflo '
i. the oyster law lately passed by In
Y Alabama legislature:
( "A license OF len cents per barre
must be paid 10 lhe Probate Judg
= of Mobile county. or 10 he luspec
T. tor or Deputy Inspector. by al
per.ons engaged in catching o
taking oysters from the public wa
lerS OF Alabama, and rnch llcens,
shall be gwen - residents uf Ala
/ bama only no person shall be al
lowed 10 ship oysters taken from
Alabama waters beyond The limit
OF this Stale while lie same are N
J shell; provided that between the
middle of December and the mid
die of January. oysters may be
shipped in barrels, by railroad, iO
other States. A licensed dealer
III oysters may, however. transfer
oysters IN The she'll 10 any other
person or persons within The limits
OF the State, and. after the oysters
have heen shelled in the State.
such person or persons shall have
The right 10 sell such oysters and
shells or ship The same beyond The
linn of the State without reslrc-
tion or reservation.
No one is alloMed 10 take oysters
from their natural or artificial
beds between the first day Of May
and the first day of September, in
each year. except the owners of
private beds, for private or family
use.
In no case shall il be lawful to
take oysters which are less than
two and half inches in length. for
any purpose, except for planting
in the waters of this State. 1t is
unlawful to take oysters. whether
from public reefs or from private
beds, other than with the hands or
with the double rake, generally
known as oyster tOngS, and worked
by hand. The Ienaliy for a viola
ton of the above provision is a
fine not exceeding $500 for The first
Ofense, and not exceeding $1,000 !
for each subsequent Offtn.e, ard |
imprisonment in the cOuniy Jail Tor |
SIX months for he first conviction |
or twelve months for any subSe-
quent cunvirticn-in addition to |
the fine mentioned.
Any person or persons engaged
in the taking Of oysters in the WA
ters of this State, except for plant
ing in the waters of Alabama, shall
cClI all oysters before leaving said
beds or reefs on which the same
are taken, removing from the oys-
ters of size to be lawfully taken all
such oysters as can, by due care.
be detached therefrom without the
destruction OF he marketable oys.
ter. and shall throw back on the
beds or reefs from which they are
taken all such oysters so removed
from the marketable oysters. and
shall carefully scatter such under.
sized oysters over such beds or
reefs from which taken; provided.
however, that the catcher shall
have The privilege of planting else
where within this State or of sell
ing 10 planters who are resident
citizens OF this Slate, and who own
oyster beds or reefs, a privilege of
or riparian fronts which
ran be converted into beds, IN the
Tide waters of Alabama, for the
purpose OF planting all such oys.
.ers within the tide waters of this :
Stale.
Where oysters are taken from
public reefs for transplantlne in {
private beds during one season, the {
;ame shall not be removed from :
such private beds until the next I
ucreeding season.
Licenses must be procured AMI
eceipts therefor on the 1>t day of
January of each year, or before {
March /, 1S91-lhe last provision S
,eing made because the law went s
nlo effect since the first of Janu.
ry. ,
The Governor is to appoint and ,,
ommiSsion competent person as
Inspector and competent person s
S deputy inspector, 10 hold Office {
or the period OF two years, or I'M
il their successors shall have been
ppointed and commissioned.
Zach inspector is 10 give a bond of
2, 900 for the faithful performance A
i duty; no person engaged or in \
crested in The oyster business 4.
hall be proper security on either \
f said bonds. The inspectors are {
o receive SIS and $50 per month,
espectively, as pay for their ser.
ices, and must make fall weekly
eporls 10 the Probate Judge of No
'ile county of ali transactions in
heir official capacity.
Ample provisions are made 10
nforce the oyster law, and heavy {
'enallies provided for any viola. {
ion thereof.
AT the last meeting of the Mis- a
issippi Press Association at West {