Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-05-11
TO INVESTIGATES THE OYSTER.
Work Mapped Out for the Fish Commis-
sion Steamer Fish Hawk.

TO INVESTIGATE THE OYSTER.
Work Mapped Out for the Fish Oommis-
sion Steamer Fish Hawk.
EXTENT AND CAUSES OF THE DECREASE OF rxr
srvALvE 10 BE THOROUGHLY INQUIRED INTO
AN ARTIFICIAL OYSTER sTArIoN-rHH sPANuH
NAcxlRxL TO BIZ ALSO STUDIED.
The United States fish commission steamer
Fish Hawk, which now lies ct the navy yard.
has been put in thorough trim for her summers
work and will leave on Wednesday Of this
week for Chesapeake bay. there TO prosecute
through investigation into the matter Of the
oyster beds Of the bay and the best way to pre-
serve the oyster himself from the complete
destruction that now seems to threaten him.
The first point that il aimed ct in the trip 10
Tangier sound, opposite the mouth Of the Po-
tomac. This has been chosen because IL lies
both in Maryland and Virginia and contains all
the most favorable conditions for research, the
characteristics have been more carefully deter
mined. and It IL the seat Of some Of the largest
and most important oyster beds Of the bay.
Starting from there the Fish Hawk will begin .
thorough study Of the oyster grounds Of the
Chesapeake.
HOW TEE BEDS HAVE CHANGED.
One Of the objects Of the work is to deter
mine what changes have taken place in the
present oyster beds since they were last care
fully surveyed. Former surveys we're made in
1878 and 1888 by Lieut.. Francis Winslow of the
coast survey and DR.. W. K. Brooks, professor Of
animal morphology in the Johns Hopkins Uni
versity and director Of the Chesapeake zoolog-
ical laboratory. The methods they pursued
were exact and they determined the precise
number OF oysters to the square yard in the
bay.
Dr.. Brooks, in an able and exhaustive
treatise on the oyster which he has Just
published, refers to his investigations In the
Chesapeake ss follow: "Fifty-nine beds were
examined, Of which forty-four are below Wins
lows average and fifteen above it. Upon one
OF these beds In Hooper's strait we found 90
oysters to the square yard and we here obtained
1000 oysters in six hauls. These oysters were all
very small, averaging 400 to the bushel and
We probably struck an area where there had
been good catch Of spst year or two before,
rate this condition is exceptional, and I have
therefore omitted the dredgIngs in Hooper
strait in the average for the bay. Leaving this
out the average for the other 50 beds gives
.235 oysters to the square yard, or one oyster to
each 4.284 yards, while three years before there
was one oyster to each ASS square yards.
NOT THE WHOLE TROUBLE.
startling as this result IL 1t is by no means
the whole truth. We must remember that in
1879 Tangier sound was more exhausted than
the bay, SO there were undoubtedly more than
.4lS oysters to the square yard at this date.
Then, too, we have examined many beds
where dredging is not permitted, and other
beds where the oysters are unmarketable and
the high results which We obtained from these
beds are included in the average. If these
were omitted our total would show nearly so
per cent of exhaustion to the most valuable
beds in the state
1t must be remembered, too, that this great
decrease was within . very few years. Within
the eight years since DR.. Brooks investigation
the number Of vessels and men engaged in the
oyster trade has been greatly increased and the
methods and appliances improved, and yet the
catch has steadily and rapidly decreased.
1t is proposed by the fish commission to fol-
low out essentially the same methods with the
Fish Hawk that were used in the preceding in
designations. By these means any deteriora-
ton or improvement will be positively deter
mined and the quantity measured This work
also involves to . certain extent the laying out
Of the beds.
An ARTIFICIAL OYSTER STATION.
An additional purpose Of the commission is
to determine upon some locality which can be
taken for the establishment Of an artificial
oyster station where all the methods can be
studied and tried Of Matching the oyster arti-
Totally and OF obtaining and rearing the spat
or young to q size where it is useful as seed
and where it can be provided for planting and
for the formation Of private breeding establish
ments.
Artificial oyster culture has never been car
ried on this country, although it 10 done very
successfully in Europe, where in fact the sup
ply can be maintained only by such methods.
In the Chesapeake bay region the fishermen
have been always practically dependent upon
the natural growth, for which the protection
has been totally inadequate, and as q result the
beds have been constantly decreasing until the
present time, when it is causing the greatest
concern to every one interested in the oyster
industry In Maryland and Virginia.
In several states, notably Connecticut and
New York, beds have been extended and new
beds formed by planting. This method is also
applicable to the Chesapeake region, and would
conditions are more favorable over large areas.
TO STUDY THE SPANISH MAcKEREL.
During the summer the Fish Hawk will be
engaged upon another very valuable matter in
connection with its work on the oyster beds.
During the spawning season of the Spanish mack
erel, which comes in the Chesapeake about the
LIST Of June and continues for about month, the
fish commissions men will pay attention to the
study and cultivation Of that most popular and
toothsome swimmer. During the past ten
years the falling off in the mackerel catch
has been enormous Eggs have been Matched
successfully, but never on any extensive
scale. The Fish Hawk is completely fitted up
as an actual floating Matching station She has
on board all the necessary appliances for hatch
ing, and the work will be carried on this season
on board between Tangier sound and the mouth
Of tho bay, SO that while the oysters
will at no time be neglected the
Spanish mackerel by the million will be grow
ing from the egg to such size that they will
stand q very good chance of arriving at years
Of maturity and eventually reaching the WASH
ington market.
Col. Mcdonald, the fish commissioner, is
greatly interested in the work. He is very
familiar with the region around Tangier sound
aud will 60 down on the Fish Hawk and per-
although he will not remain for any great
length Of time down the bay.