The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-12-30
SHELL FISH COMMISSION
PAMPHLET OF INTEREST 10 0YS-
TERMEE JUST ISSUED.

Grounds Returned to the Stakeholder
Interesting Facts.
An interesting pamphlet has just been
received viz, the Annual Report of the
Shell Fish Commissioners of the State
of Connecticut. The commission con-
sists of George C. Waldo of Bridgeport,
Christian Schwartz and George w.
Hallock of Danbury. 1t organized at
its annual meeting in July. 1890.
We quote from the report accounts of
some of it's most important items of
work.
Buoying Natural Beds.
"In the buoying of the natural oyster
beds done by the commission under the
law of 1895, the uncertainties of the
conditions are Illustrated. The buoy
ing Is of value to the business and ac-
ceptable to all who work upon the
natural beds or own beds contiguous to
them, but it is expensive, and the limit
set by the state, at one-half of the
money received for licenses to work up
on the natural beds, in any one year,
may in some years prove inadequate.
During the present year, owing to I'M
usually violent storms which have car
ried away the buoys, or through the
action of many vessels which ran
across them continually, when, as in
some cases, they lie in the travelled
highways the commission has been
called upon very frequently to reset
and replace buoys upon important lines,
and although they have not always
thought best to answer such calls, yet
they have done so in the busy season
and when the preservation of the lines
has seemed to them essential. This
has drawn so heavily upon the funds at
the disposal of the commission, that for
the current year 1897, there is little re-
manning, and but little buoying can be
done unless relief is granted by larg-
er allowance for it.
Mud Dumping.
I'm mud dumping there has been ex-
ceptional activity, and in complying
with the law the commissioners have
| been put to an unusual expense, as this
commission has often stated in its re-
ports, that does not seem legitlmately
! 10 belong to this department. At the
| same time, as the law stands, the shell
| fish commissioners must appoint and
send out inspectors. certify to their
bills at stated rates, and the expense
| is charged to the commission. The
| prospect is that in 1897 there will be a
| continuation of activity in this bust
ness as appropriations made by con-
| i
| the enlargement Of harbors are to be
expended, and inspectors will find more
constant employment with proportion
al expense to the state.
Sales Of Grounds.
"Since the issuing of the financial
statement the commission has sold
something over 800 acres Of ground
which helps materially to balance the
additional expenses in buoy setting
landmarks and dumping, although it
does not appear in the present financial
account
Oyster Police.
"As the law establishing an oyster
police passed at the session of 1895 was
| secured by the efforts of the Oyster
Growers association of the state, in
| carrying out the provisions of the law
| the members of that association were
consulted Suggestions made by the
association resulted in the adoption of
a scheme which divides the entire oys-
ter growing territory in the state into
| sections, and apportions the money
available in any one year to each sec
| ton In proportion to the aggregate of
| taxes paid to the state by that section.
| This is certainly a very equitable and
! judicious method of distributing the
! funds and has thus far worked to the
seeming satisfaction of all concerned.
| The members Of the association,
through their officers in each section,
have nominated to the board men Of
experience and good character for the
| position of policemen, AMI these NOM
| nations have been confirmed by the
| beard and such nominees have been
duly appointed. In this way competent
and reliable members of the oyster po-
lice have been secured.
"The commission is under obligation
| to the officers of the Oyster Growers
association for material assistance in
| this matter. Very few complaints of
the operation of the system have been
heard, and none of the police supervi-
| sion.
The Planting This Year
THE plant on the private oyster beds
| this year has been large, as reference
| to the table of material used will show.
| And here it is we'll to allude to q mat
| ter that is of Importance to the bust
ness, and that is the very large amount
| of dredged material used by intelligent
| oyster growers in improving what had
| been considered heretofore worthless
ground. The commission has sold
| ground that had previously been sur
| rendered as worthless, and this has
been made productive by the deposit
| ing thereon of dredged material COM
| posed of a sufficient proportion of sand
| to harden the bottom to the right con-
sistency A field of operation is thus
| open to intelligent enterprise that
| promises to greatly enlarge the cult
waited area of the oyster grounds of
| the state and to contribute largely to
the aggregate value of the business.
| Areas which have been abandoned as
| useless are thus made valuable and a
source of profit to the planter.
There was a very excellent set, as
| has been said, on cultivated beds, par
| ticularly to the eastward, and it has
| grown well and shows up very fairly,
with the promise Of a good crop, if not
| ruined by unforeseen circumstances.
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