The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-08-02
10 REGULATE
OYSTER REEFS
Hay Introduce Bill This
Morning.
LEGISLATION Is URGED
NJ Canneries Are Operated In
Alabama.
measure VIII Place Beds In Care OF
came and Fish Warden and
Special Fund

Governor Conner, in his call for an
oxtra session. authorized legislation for
the protection Of the States oyster
reefs. and q bill to that end will be in
produced In one or the other Of the leg
tslative bodies either Monday or Tues
day.
There are no oyster canneries in Ala
hama At the present time, though be-
fore the storm of September &c and ~,
1896, there were two Of them In oper-
alton. and one Of these created a ma
ttonai demand for its products. The
hurricane placed both the cannery run
by local capital and the one operated
BY & Baltimore firm, completely out OF
business, and since that time. under
existing oyster laws-or lack Of laws
lit has been found impossible to In
terest capital in the re-establishment
Of the industry in this state. Schoon-
ers formerly engaged In freighting
oysters from the reefs to the cannertes
may now be seen dismantled and idle
along the banks of the Bayou Ia Batre.
while the oystermen who formerly
manned the boats have scattered and
sought new occupations.
There Is still some commerce in raw
oysters in that section. but 1t is small
and seldom profitable. Occasionally
oysters suitable for canning purposes
are sold TO the Mississippi Gamers, but
this branch of the business is uncer-
tain and Of little consequence.
During the legislative sessioneof 1907
q bill was introduced IN the Senate by
Mr.. Hamburger and passed that body.
An opposing delegation Of oystermen.
some of whom did not understand that
capital could not be induced to invest
III the industry under existing condi-
lions. succeeded in having the measure
killed in the House Committee. Since
that time there has Deen an entire
change OF sentiment xn the western
shore of Mobile Bay aud even on the
eastern shore, where opposition to any
change in the oyster statute was once
violent, it is admitted that some legis-
lation Is needed II the extent Of the in
dnstry is to be increased.
The Mobile Commercial Club took the
Initiative early In April, this year, and
adopted resolutions memorializing the
Governor to include the subject OF
oyster protection In his call for the
present extra session. In May COM
mIttee of oyster men representing every
port In Mobile and Baldwin counties,
where oysters are grown, caught or
whipped, met and appointed q commit
tee to frame a law which would be, as
nearly as possible, satisfactory to pros
pective Gamers, raw oyster dealers and
0ystermen. This committee has fran :
ed bill, based largely on those In op-
Grafton In Louisiana and Mississippi,
where natural conditions are similar,
except as to area OF availble oyster
bottom. nd that bill will be carefully
considered in a conference which may
DC held in the office of State Game and
Fish Commissioner Wallace on Monday
or Tuesday, before the measure Is final
~ introduced.
Delegations from Mobile and Baldwin
counties are expected to be present at
that time for the purpose of comforting
with the Senator and representatives
OF the two coast counties.
The central question to be decided
then, is whether to permit the use of
oyster dredges operated by hand on
sailing vessels, upon certain public
reefs In Mobile Bay. The other fea-
lures of the bill have been practically
agreed upon by all parties really at in
terest.
The title of the bill as prepared by
the oystermen's committee and ap-
proved by the United States Fish Com
mission, 10:
"a bill. to be entitled an act, TO reg
Mate the public oyster reefs and beds
in the waters of Alabama, to provide