Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1907-11-15
FISH AND OYSTER NOTES.

In Mississippi the State is shelline
the natural rocks. 1t is objected by
some planters that it is not best. 70,
the State cannot protect shelled natur
al rocks anymore than the natural
rocks.
Mississippi fishermen and the captains
of two schooners, charged with taking
oysters in Louisiana waters without
license, were each fined $50 and costs
or given the alternative of serving
thirty days in Jail.
The whaler Beluga, which has reach,
ed San Francisco from the Arctic Sea
with 10000 pounds of bone, seventy.
two fox skins and one bear skin. con.
firms the report from Unalaska that
the other ships of the fleet are safe.
and are coming home with big catches
The Japanese use vast quantities OF
bamboo brush in breeding and GROWING
their oysters. At low tide in the Sea
OF Aki, the water falling from 10 to IL
feet, the network of estuaries or is
land straits and the river mouths bristle
with closely-set oyster farms. Fishing
Gazette.
Just throw me half-dozen of your
biggest trout" said the man with
the anglers outfit. Throw them -
exclaimed the astonished fish-dealer.
That's what l said," replied the
party of the first part. stThen TN
go home and tell my wife l caught
them. II may be a poor fisherman.
but I'm no lar
Commander Howard, of the Mary
land Oyster Navy, said recently, that
never IN his recollection have oysters
oeen as numerous in the Potomac and
chesapeake Bay as they are this wear.
All along the upper Chesapeake Bav
oyster packlng-houses that had been
abandoned for others along the coasts Of
southern states are being opened I'D.
Reports of the big crop in MARYLAND
waters are spreading. Captain How.
ard attributes the unusual supply Of
oysters to the law making it an offence
punishable in the most drastic manne,
for oysters to be taken out of the state
during the closed season.
The Fishing Gazette's Norfolk renort
says: The planters from all over the state
felt very much discouraged this fall or
account of the scarcity of seed stock in
James River, but there has been found
remedy by sending to the Potomac
Tor the same, where, since the 18th of
october, when dredging commenced.
thousands of bushels of seed oysters
nave been taken and planted in the
different rivers of the state. There ie
no doubt but that according to the
testimony of many of the planters, who
nave planted these oysters; that they
are as good as any they have used for
many year in the past.
Efforts will be made by Maryland to
restore portions of her natural oyster
beds In Tangier and Pocomoke Sounds
A year or two ago it was found that
many Of the old deserted oyster taking
grounds in the vicinity of Pocomoke and
Iangier Sounds, in Virginia and Mary
land, which had been made barren bv
inJudicions working, were producing
large quantities of fine CLANS. which
were worth as much as, if not more
than are the oysters. This was also
round to be true of many other old
oyster beds, and they are now produc-
ing large crops of CLAIMS without care
and trouble to plant them, and hundreds
Oh oystermen are employedin claiming.
The dredging season opened in Marv-
land waters with every prospect of a
good yield of choice oysters. From
now on oysters will be gotten in greater
quantities and prices drop little. Re-
ports from down the bay agree that
this is likely to be an unusually good
season. From now until March 15|
the bay will be dotted with crafts of
oystermen who have turned the boats
winch were used to gather crabs. into
oyster boats, and will employ any,
where from 2 or to 25 men to helm in
the work. So far the oysters received
nave been of good quality and the sup
ply seems to be plentiful. L. Baltimore
Sun.
That the oyster rocks of the State
made barren by depreciation, need only |
TO be protected to- recuperate and be as
in the future as in the past
now seems beyond question, if the re-
ports received regarding them are COR
rect. Many of the oyster rocks, even in
he Pocomoke Sound, depleted, it was
thought beyond hope of recuperati, n.
Tow have, according to communication
ust received by us from an experienced
FISHERMAN, "a fine strike of oysters on
hem" and only need protection for
short while to furnish remunerative en-
'loyment to hundreds of our peonle
similar reports are being made in re-
lard to the oyster rocks in the waters
q other parts of the State which like
ne Pocomoke Sound ''have been
'uarded strictly within the past two
ears. Peninsula Enterprise.
A contention long held by some per-
ons, that the United States, and not
he individual States, had jurisdiction
yer the bottoms of navigable waters.
las been decided in favor of the States
y the U. S. Supreme Court. A man
AIMED Lee, to test the jurisdiction,
tole oysters from New Jersey grounds