Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1910-11-25
THE OYSTER SUPPLY.
Oysters Increasing But Direct Rev.
enues Decreasing.


Newport News Times Herald.i
The reports made to the State Commits
sion of Fisheries yesterday go to show
that the oyster industry in Virgins is
IN better condition than for many years
past. The supply is said to be large
and prices are advacing. Perhaps the
most encouraging feature is the album
dance Of seed oysters at reasonable
prices, and Commissioner Lee thinks
that it will not be long before planters
may get all the clean seed they can use
at ten cents per bushel.
But the difficulty is, as the Commits
sion sees it. that the abundance of fine
commercial oysters on the natural beds
is tending to discourage planting. There
is no economy in cultivating oysters on
rented grounds when a first rate arti-
Gle can be had on the natural beds. The
State is doing well to increase her stock
and store of oysters, but if the planting
industry decreases the revenues of the
State will be impaired proportionately.
This creates new situation and the
State will have to revise her revenue
schedules.
The Commission seems to have
reached the conclusion that the fees of
tongers must be increased. If the sup
ply of oysters is abundant at living
prices, the tongers will not object to
paying more for the privilege of work
ing on the natural rock. But that is
not enough. 1t is costing the State too
much by far to police the oyster grounds,
especially in James river. We are in
formed that this year James river is
costing the State, including the expen-
diture for watch houses, approximately
five dollars for every dollar of revenue
received. The members of the Com
mission of Fisheries hold that this cost
could be greatly reduced by straighten-
ing the lines, and that was the argu-
ment in favor of the measure presented
TO the last session of the Legislature.
When the Legislature fully understands
the situation it will doubtless act favor
ably on this Recommendation of the
Commission, which is composed of
practical men from various sections of
the State.
There is still another police regulation
which the State might adopt to its
profit. When a planter violates the
law. his lease should be cancelled. This
cannot be done. we suppose. in the case
of leases that have been made without
such stipulation. But every lease made
in the future should contain such a
provision.
1 Newport News Press.l
| While no definite action along that
line was taken, the State Commission
of Fisheries, in monthly session here
yesterday, seriously discussed the mat
ter of increasing the license fees on the
tongers working on the public oyster
rocks in the rivers of the State. 1t is
claimed that this is necessary because
the revenues of the State from the
oyster industry must necessarily de-
crease with the increase in the supply
of oysters on the natural rocks.
During the discussion of the matter
before the Commission, the fact was
brought out that the planters this year
are supplying their trade from the
natural rocks instead of from their pri-
vate beds as heretofore. The members
of the Commission claim that next year
the planters will not plant as much
ground as they have in the past, depend
ing upon the supply on the natural rocks.
The surplus land held by the planters
will be turned back to the State and the
Commonwealth will lose the rentals on
that ground and the revenues from the
industry will decrease just that much.
Senator Bland Massie. of Nelson,
who is member of the Commission,
| said after the meeting that he believes
the States remedy is to be found in IL
creasing the tax on the tongers. thus
getting from the planters what is
lost. Planters are now working
their own tongers. = EDITOR While
the plan proposed by Senator Mas
sic will give the State additional
revenue from the planters, il also will
be an additional burden on the private
tongers. They claim that they are
scarcely able to make living now, and
it is certain that they will fight any
proposal to increase the tax on them.
Those attending the meeting of the
Commission were: Chairman w. Nc
Donald Lee, Secretary S. Wilkins Mat
thews; George B. Kezell, of Rocking
ham, and Bland Massie, of Nelson,
Inspector w. Z. Lawson, of Hampton;
M. j. Kilby, of Nansemond, and c. II.
Muse, of York. also were present and
they report a plentiful supply of oysters
this season.
Inspector Lawson reported that the
catch in James river above the Gull line
is from thirty to forty bushels a day,
and below the Gull line from eighteen to
twenty bushels per day. This catch is
for crew of two men and boy.
Within the past week prices of market
oysters have advanced from 25 cents to |
so cents per bushel. Oysters in York |
river are bringing from IS cents to 81 |
per busheL While commercial oysters
are advancing. the seed oysters are
decreasing in price and there is an
abundant supply in James river at from
IL to Is cents bushel.
Hampton Monitor.l
The startling cold fact stares the Com
mission in the face that it costs $40, 900 |
of the $45.000 collected to protect the |
public bottoms for the tongers. In adj |
dition to this fact on account of the |
plentiful supply of marketable oysters