The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-07-31
AN APPROPRIATION FOR OYSTER SURVEY. Means Much Toward Develop ment of Alabama Beds WILL INCREASE AREA Known Reefs Will Be Carefully Sur
 
WILL INCREASE AREA
Known Reefs Will Be Carefully Sur yeyed and All Parts of Mobile Bay VIII Be Sounded for
 Other Reefs

Montgomery, July 30- -(Special.)-A com- munication has been received by the de- partment of game and fish from Con- gressman Wash Taylor of the First con- gressional district of Alabama notifying Commissioner W'allRe that an appropria- ton was carried in~the sundry civil bill, passed by the last session of Congress, toward the close, sufficient in the opinion of the United States commissioner and superintendent of the coast and geodetic survey, to make a survey of the oyster beds of Alabama
 Congressman Taylor informs MT. Wal lace that an independent bill which was urged by the state game and fish com missioner, looking to this end, could not have been passed at the last session of Congress, hence MT. Taylor took the mat ter up with the committee on appropria- ton of which he has been a member for a number of years, and on which he has served with a majority of the present members
 The First district congressman has been notified by a communication from the United States bureau of fisheries that the bureau expects to take up the oyster work in Alabama as early as possible in the fall. and Is now making plans ac- cordingly, so that no delay will ensue. . The intelligence contained in this com munication was cause of general rejoic- Ing in the department of game and fish. for in the opinion of the commissioner this survey, in conjunction with Ala bama's new oyster law, will cut conspic- nous figure in developing the wonder ful possibilities of the shellf1sh industry In Alabama. Not only will the known reefs on the eastern and western shores of Mobile bay and the Mississippi sound be carefully surveyed. but all parts of Mobile bay will be sounded for the To- cation of oyster reefs.
 Under the operation of the oyster law that was passed at the extra session of the Alabama legislature. last August, great strides have already been made in oyster development in this state. num- Der of factories have already been To- cated on Mobile bay and the oyster com mission has taken occasion to have re- moved from congested beds and reefs sur plus of oysters which for ages has been pling up, one above the other on the natural rock. and have had these trans planted on water bottoms suitable for oyster culture It Is a known fact that In the warm waters of Mobile bay oysters propagate more rapidly and more quickly reach marketable size than in any waters of the United States.
 ha A 1oJ, d, t+n taries traverse a limestone section, hence the shell of the oysters is easily and quickly formed from the solution of lime stone that constantly flows into Mobile bay. The Alabama river is likewise per meated with suitable food for oysters that causes them to grow to a large size and to fatten early in the autumn.
 Heretofore the Alabama reefs have been looked upon as private property by the oyster fishermen and have been woe fully vandalized. many of the most val uable reefs having been depleted, some Of which have been closed to operation by edicts of the oyster commission, which Is composed of John Craft. president, Mo bile; Daniel Bosarge, Bayou LaBatre; Benjamin Patterson, Bon Secours, and J. A. Joulliah, secretary. Coden.
 It will be the purpose of the oyster commission later on to prepare the water bottoms within the spawn circuit by the spreading of shell and other hard sub stances on which the oyster spawn can attach Itself. This will be q very large increase in the area susceptible to oys- ter production in Alabama. The commits sion will also lease water bottoms be- yond the statutory 600-yard riparian right limit, to those wishing to engage In prac- tical oyster culture.
 Artificial propagation of oysters has been wonderfully successful in all of the states in which 1t has been practiced, from Virginia up the Atlantic coast line to Canada. On account of the vast abund- ancc of oysters in Alabama 1t has not heretofore been necessary to assist na- ture in the production of palatable bi- valves other than by transplanting oys- ters from the natural reefs and removing them to Bon Secours bay and vicinity.
 The cause of oyster conservation in Alabama was not agitated any too soon, but enough oysters still remain, if prop erly protected and propagated, to assure to the people of this state an adequate supply of this excellent and nutritious seafood until the end of time.
 Commissioner Wallace announced today that he contemplated, together with the members of the oyster commission, pro- posing to the present law a number of amendments that would greatly strength en 1t and make this statute of greater use to the people.