Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1908-10-02
HON HENRY N. TYLER
ON OYSTER QUESTION.
MORE STRINGENT LAWS NEEDED.

NUKE STRINGENT LAWS NEEDED,
Maryland Is Proflting BY yirrinia,s
Mistakes. Former Member OF Fish
cries Board Decisres-Suppiy De
ereasing.
Norfolk Landmark)
Taking the position that Virginia is
sacrificing her oyster industry for the
revenue derived therefrom, Hon. Henry
M. Tyler, member of former State
Board OF Fisheries and one of the bes,
informed men Of the State on the fisb
and oyster question. talked quite freely
yesterday afternoon to a Landmark
representative.
He was questioned as to reports to
the effect that Maryland, with one-third
the water lying within the borders OF
Virginia. would soon have an oyster in
dustry that would place the Old Domin-
ion in second place among the oyster
producing states.
Mr.. Tyler dealt with the situation
with gloves off and declared that the
policy of this State in looking after
revenues and not properly protecting,
with laws and regulations, the oyster
beds, was altogether wrong.
He contrasted the conditions existing
in Maryland and Virginia saying,
In reference to the conditions in
Maryland, contrasted with the condi-
lions in Virginia, it should be borne in
mind that when Maryland passed her
oyster law she had before her the lights
OF the Virginia law to guide her, She
had the experience and reports of the
Virginia Beard of Fisheries; she had
seen the difficulties that Virginia had
encountered in enforcing law which
was at that time very much opposed by
public sentiment in the section in which
the law was to be enforced, and she
had seen the slow progress that Vir.
ginia made during the terms of the frs;
and second Boards of Fisheries in edu-
eating sentiment for the enforcement
OF the Virginia oyster laws in which
very radical changes had been made by
the LeCato Bill.
Maryland having all that to guide
her, passed laws very radically chang.
ing conditions up there, and is now ex.
perlenclng the same difficulty that vir.
ginia experienced when she changed her
laws and put the LeCato Bill into effect,
which was In 1891.
Having that light to guide her,
Maryland has made good use of Vir.
ginia's experience In the matter, anG
has passed a most excellent bill. and
1t but remains for her people to realize
that, and by educating up the vast bene-
hts to be derived from the oyster bust.
ness from the Maryland law properly
enforced.
1 OYSTER NAVY INADEQUATE. as
Another thing that can be said, con-
trasting Virginia and Maryland, is that
Virginia has two or nearly three times
as much oyster water to protect as
Maryland. Ell, ~. : s. =,
Maryland. at the same time. has
some thirty odd boats engaged in its
service, and Virginia has only about
ten, and bear in mind that that number
have only been in service since the last
session of the Virginia Legislature, 1908.
up to that time 1t had only three
steamboats,. one sail vessel and gaso-
line launch.
There Ia no question but that the
waters OF Chesapeake bay and its tribu-
taries is the most favored spot for the
propagation of oysters on earth, and
the most richly planted.
There is no seed bed in any section
of any country that can compare with
the seed bed of James River.
Chesapeake bay, owing to its
favored and sheltered position, and to
the number of streams supplying it with
fresh water, has no equal on
earth for the raising of oysters as to
quantity or quality.
1T but remains to protect and guard
those seed beds from destruction. and
Virginia's position in the oyster industry
IS bound to be the leading one.
1-HuAoA-AiiON NEcESSARY.
while it is true that the LeCato Bill
and the present plan of protecting these
seed oysters beds is great step for
ward, it is yet equally true that much
remedial legislation is still necessary to
perfect the plan contemplated by Sena-
tor LeCato in his bill,
1t IS necessary, if these beds are to
be preserved. that more discretion and
power be vested in the Commission than
has yet been done.
lit is necessary that the growing SEN
timent favoring the enforcement of the
law should be nursed and encouraged:
it is necessary that proper provision be
made for the closer guarding of the
main seed beds.
1T could hardly be expected that the
State could bear the expense of placing
sufficient number of boats in the service
to guard each separate bed or each
locality. This would be far too expen-
sive and would be regarded as impracv.
tlcable, but therich spots can be guarded.
and are now being guarded, as well as
possible with the means at hand in the
absence or further essential legislation.
i would regard it as impracticable.
even with the use of the entire oyster
fleet, to adequately guard and protect
the seed beds of James river alone.
and believe that this will only be possi-
N a L.