Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1902-04-26
Oyster Bill Passed by the Last LegiS
lature.

To authorize the Board Of Fisheries
to declare certain land within the
limits of the Baylor Survey, on
the eastern or ocean side OF Acc
comac, to be barren area and
open for planting oysters there
on, and to authorize the assign
ment of the same for planting
purposes.
Whereas, there are within the
limits of the Baylor survey, on the
eastern or ocean side of Accomac
county, many acres designated as
natural oyster rock, which are not
now natural oyster rock, much OF
which said ground was included In
said survey by misrepresentation, and
muc a of which has been depleted
since said survey was made to such
an extent that there is no hard sub
stance left upon which oysters can
catch; and Whereas, this condition
exists on the eastern or ocean side OF
said county to an extent far more
serious than in any other counties OF
the State, and great necessity exists
for it's immediate remedy; and
Whereas, the State at this time re-
ceives no revenue from said ground;
and whereas the same cannot be
leased out without special leglsla-
ton, therefore,
/. Be it enacted by the General
Assembly of Virginia, that oyster
ground within the Baylor survey, on
the eastern or ocean side Of said
county may be applied for to be
leased from the State for the pur-
pose of planting oysters thereon by
any resident of this State, in such
manner, in such quantities, and on
such terms as is now lawful to lease
oyster ground outside of said survey;
and upon receipt of an application
under this act by the proper inspec-
tor, he shall refer the same to the
board of fisheries.
Q. When the said board shall have
received application or applications
under the preceding section for not
less than fifty contiguous acres, or
when in the opinion of said board
there are fifty or more contiguous
acres within the limits of said survey
on the eastern or ocean side OF said
county which are not natural oyster
rock and ought to be leased out, said
hoard shall give notice that such APP
plication or applications are before
il. or that in their opinion certain
ground within said survey in said
county is not natural rock, and
ought to be leased out for planting
purposes, describing the ground to
be affected with reasonable certain
ty, and stating when and where the
application or applications will he
acted upon, or if noapplication is be-
fore them, when and where they will
determine whether said ground Is
not natural rock and ought to be
leased out, which notice shall be
given by advertisement for four sue
cessive weeks in some newspaper
published in the county wherein said
ground is located, if there be a paper
published in said county, and by
directing the inspector of the district
wherein said ground is located to
post copies OF said advertisement at
the front door of the court house Of
said county, and at three or more
public places in the vicinity of the
ground: and said board shall permit
one or more residents of this State
to enter themselves as contestants,
and to contest and defend such ap-
plication or applications, or to contest
the opinion of said board that said
ground is not natural rock and ought
to be leased out.
3. After such Investigations and
examinations as they deem proper,
said board shall determine whether
said ground naturally grows oysters
in sufficient quantities to make the
taking of the same profitable to
practical ,oysrermen in the manner
that such oysters may be lawfully
taken, and whether the same con-
tains natural rock, bed or shoal, so
that oysters can catch in such guam
titles, and if said board shall deter
mine that fifty contiguous acres or
more, does not naturally grow oys
tiers in such quantities and does not
contain natural rock, bed or shoal in
such quantities, and ought to be
leased out for planting purposes, said
board shall cause the same to be
properly ascertained, surveyed, and
plated, and shall declare such
ground to be barren area and not
natural rock, and shall so certify to
the inspector of the district wherein
said ground is located, and shall