Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1906-05-18
/ Friday, May IS. 1906.
SOME OYSTER TALK.

Mr.. EDIToR:-We find in your paper
many interesting things about oyster
culture, but we never see anything very
urgent about enforcing the oyster laws
by the citizens of Accomac and North
ampton. The ground law and the Sun
= day laws have been violated. There
nave been more violations of these laws
this winter than ever before. Trapping
ducks; shooting at night with lights.
using swivel guns and guns with bat
teries. Club men taking out sportsmen
on Sundays has been the order for
months. Then men taking oysters and
CLANS on Sundays; raking the rocks.
taking all the young growth and vet not
one person arrested though the authori-
ties have known all these things. Where
is your Game Warden? Men do not
license to gun on Sundays. The men
who trap the ducks are known, the men
who have swivel guns are known. in
fact ali the violaters of the laws are
known. The people who rake the rocks
get all today and leave nothing for
tomorrow. They do not care for their
nelghbor, so long as they can benefit
themselves. The Game Wardens must
have different instructions from what
they now go by. If something is not
done soon to stop the killing of our game
IN this illegal way, we will not have a
duck or goose in these waters. They
VIII go thew of our best oyster rocks.
VIII those in authority who read this
see how far they are responsible for
these awful conditions Corr. in Chin
coteage Oysterman.
1t has been hard matter to get
the Virginia Legislature to appro-
pirate sufficient funds to guard the
States water interests in any more
than a superficial way, make show
of policing. Many uniformed citi-
zens think that the Board of Fisheries
has carte blanche license to use the
moneys collected from the oyster reve-
nue. in protecting and policing the
waters of the State, but this is an
erroneous idea. All the money from
the oyster fund (revenue) is paid in to
the State auditor, and biennially an
appropriation is made by the Legis-
lature for running expenses of the
Board of Fisheries, police boats, etc,
and this has been barely enough to
tide them over, causing much plan,
ming and no little penuriousness aud
fnanciering to keep within the limit.
There has been a great demand that
the States oyster interests shall show
a good and continuous increase of
net revenue. In the opinion of many
who should know this policy has been
detrimental to the States property; a
policy of paying large dividends
while the principal or capital stock
is being steadily eaten away to make
good the dividend. When this rave.
nous demand ceases, honest, capable
and philanthropic officials can build
a valuable asset for the State that
will in future surpass any water
mine along the Atlantic coast. While
the Legislature has lately shown
more inclination to aid and not
hamper the Board of Fisheries, for
two years at least but little improve
ment can be evidenced in the way of |
protection. The same amount of |
money only is allowed as heretofore
for the use of the Board, but, not
wlthstanding this handicap, the
present Board hopes to be able to
increase the vigilence towards and
the promotion of the oyster interests.
1t is the Boards avowed purpose to
exercise 8 stricter guard over the
ocean side than heretofore.