Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1907-11-08
FISH AND OYSTER NOTES.

EESH HlSUUESIEk NUIES.
The Board of Fisheries, through its
Chairman, Mcdonald Lee, who has
written lengthy article on the subject
Of crabs, their habits and habitat, has
established the theory of the migration
of crabs. This theory has always been
held by the crabbers of this section who
have long had an opportunity to watch
the ingress of the crabs through the
capes in the early spring. 1t has been
observed that the crabs were first
caught outside the capes, then at the
capes, within the capes and finally they
moved into the Bay and Hampton Roads.
1t had also been observed that in the
fall similar egress from the capes
took place. This, stated simply, is the
theory of the migration of crabs and
was what the opposition to the crab
billin the entlegislature relied upon,
coupled with the fact that a female
crab spawns only once and dies. The
advancement of the idea that crab
moved from one water to another was
hooted at and inspired satirical COM
mittee clerk to poke fun at the propo-
sition by picturing the crab hiking it
from the shores of Patagonia to the
rock bound coasts of Maine" These
ideas, however, which furnished the
thunder for the anti-crab bill, was de-
feated. Now these ideas are absolute
ly confirmed by the high authority of
the Board of Fisheries and its chair
man, who took some time to make
the investigation. n.-Hampton Monitor
ARTIFICIAL PROPAGATION OF OYSTERS.
This is rendered necessary owing to
the exhaustion of natural beds and the
inability to supply the usual demand.
This method of production is:-
First, An increase of the number of
eggs fertilized.
Second, An increase in the surface
for fixation as we'll as the number of
''spat" caught.
Third, The saving of the 'spat" and
young oysters, which would usually
fall victims to enemies and other ad-
verse pnySlCal COnOlJlOnS.
Fourth. The utilization of barren bot
toms and natural unavailable food sup
plies.
The natural supply of oysters will
not fill half the normal demand. We
have yet to fully utilize our natural
resources for artificial oyster culture.
Editor The Oysterman
OYSTER LEGISLATION.
1t is now generally recognized in Vir-
ginia that the State Legislature at its
coming session will have to take some
action in regard to the passage of new
and suitable laws regulating the oyster
industry in the state and the question is
What shall be done?
The scarcity of oysters and the start
ling scarcity of seed this year has
proven that the oysters of the state
are rapidly disappearing, condition
that has been predicted for some years.
From the present indications the public
rocks will be entirely barren in few
years unless some action is taken by
the legislature to improve the situation.
Some of the planters have suggested
that the state should rent out some of
the natural rocks to planters in order
that seed may be put down and the
oyster scientifically grown. 1t is also
suggested that it would be best to
inaugurate closed season for several
years in order to give the young oysters
chance to grow. This would undoubt-
edly be of great benefit to the oysters
but it would also be great hardship on
hundreds of men engaged in the bust
ness.
One of the most serious phases of
the situation is the fact that the
legislature, which alone can save the
day, is composed of men from all sect
ions of the state, large majority of
whom are totally ignorant in regard
to the oyster industry and are there
fore wholly unqualified for the work to
be done by the legislature.
In order that these men may handle
the situation intelligently it will be
necessary to educate them in regard to
the growing of oysters and this duty
will fall upon the Tidewater represen-
tatives and the oystermen themselves.
And there's the rub. The planters
and tongers naturally have entirely diff
ferent views on the subject and their
advice would under the circumstances
be very conflicting. .-Times-H Herald
Newport News, Va.
ss THE NORFOLK OYSTER OUTLOOK.
On September Is the regular oyster
season commenced, as on that day the
oyster catchers were allowed to catch
oysters from the natural oyster beds
of the State, which the tongers sold
to the buy-boats-that run them to the
packing houses in Hampton, Norfolk,
Portsmouth and Berkley. If what
these boats bring now is an indication
of what kind of oyster season we will
have this year, it would show that it
would be one of the poorest seasons
that ever has been in this State, as the
oysters brought here at present cost
higher price than ever before at this
time of the year and open poorer.
The scarcity Of oysters on the nat
ural beds have made the boatmen, also
oysters packers, look around for plan
ted oysters of which there is quite a
large quantity in Virginia, but for
which the planters ask such high price
that the packers cannot use fhan, and