The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1902-04-17
sHoALwATBR BAY OYSTERS.
Increasing Bu; Starhsh
Making Terrible Inroads.


w. A. carruthers. one OF the Lead
Ing and best posted oystermen at oys-
teryille on Shoaiwater Bay. passed
ed through the city yesterday on his
way home from Yaauina Bay. In this
state. He states that the present
oyster season has been prosperous
one on Shoalwatcr BAY. While from
100000 to 10000 sacks have been ship
ped from Shoalwater Bay the present
season at least 5000 sacks were shipped
from oysterville alone. The prices
this season have averaged S2.25 a sack.
but Mr. carruthers expects next sea-
son win find the price al $3.50 a sack,
The reason for this IL the general in
crease OF demand fof native Pacific
Coast oysters and the decrease In pro-
duetion on account OF the onslaughts
on oysters by the starhsh. While the
dealers In California are the greatest
buyers n he Northe Pacific oysters
they Try to always keep them down,
for the reason that there is greater
profit In settling Eastern oysters, yet
the merit of the native oyster Is forg-
ing ahead. The contemplated scar
city for the coming season is assigned
To the fact that there was no set"
last scason~.th that IL there was no lay
ing the foundation for this falls pro
ductlon. The weather being very coad
last. winter Is assigned as the reason
for this. but the general freaks OF ma
,ure are often unexplalnable.
The great enemy of the Shoalwater
BAY oyster, says Mr. carruthers, Is the
starnsh. These destroy millions Of oys-
ters annually. They destroy more
than are taken by the oystermen. II
the appropriation that is made for ex-
perimentlng with the Eastern oyster
was applied to the destruction Of star
fish the result would be tenfold better
for the country, he states that 5000
would practically clear
Shoalwater Of the starfish, and that
once cleared II might be years before
they would return At present the
oyster men are lighting the starfish
on their own responsibility With
''mops" made OF webbing, attached 20
Iron the beds are dragged and by
this means thousands OF the pests are
destroyed. but with a yacht or steam
er millions OF them could soon be de-
stroyed and the waters soon cleared
Of them. The appropriation OF $4,000
for Shoalwater would accomplish this.
AT present every oyster man is re-
quired to put in three days during the
season destroying starfsh, but the
methods used are not effective and but
little is accomplished, A yacht or
steamer could destroy 100000 day.
In one season either would clear the
bay,
Speaking of Eastern oysters he said
that II carloads will be planted this
season He says that these would be
planted anyway; that the approprla-
ton Is graft and that It does no
good for the industry; that for this
reason the appropriations should be
made for the destruction of the an
imals which prey upon the oyster In
dustry.
He said that the Yaquina Bay oys-
ter was the best that is produced on
the Pacific Coast but that the pro-
duction is small and cannot be In
The star1sh does not prey
upon them there; the plant is sim
ply condned and nature, nor mans
aid. can better conditions.
While the Eastern oyster is most
popular yet there are many purposes
TO which the native oyster is most
adaptable, suoh as cocktails, etc. But
still, he says, the future of the East
ern oyster is great in this country and
that In a few years we will rival the
world in the excellence of the pro-
ductton, Among our numerous re-
sources the oyster business promises
to rank nj n hirh atandard