The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1911-02-02

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tion OF Oyster Properties.)
The statutes provide that certain
so-callled natural oyster grounds
shall be designated and reserved for
the use and benefit Of all persons,
residents Of this State, who shall take
out an annual license in accordance
With section 1924 Of the General
Statutes.
cense shall be 50 for every vessel or
boat under five tons, and for ves-
sci or boat exceeding five tons, fifty
cents for each additional ton, subject
to conditions relative to size of boat.
weight of dredge. power, etc. also
owners length of residence in the
State
There are nine such natural beds
designated in Section 3214 of the Gen.
eral Statutes as follows.
Corwell Reef Natural Bed, Is
acres: Dorchester Bed, 21S acres;
152 acres; Field Point Natural Bed,
50 acres; Greenwich Point Natural
Bed. 403 acres; Fairfield Bar and
Fairfield Natural Beds. 1887 acres;
Bridgeport Natural Bed, 334 acres;
Stratford Natural Bed, S,055 acres;
ROTOR Point and Fish Island Nalurai
Beds 307 acres che e~Sef acreage
being 5.S05 acres.
OF the beds mentioned above only
the last four are buoyed by the State.
and are, therefore, the only ones that
are worked to any considerable ex-
very productive, but the effect of con-
tinual use and their present condi-
ton is well described by Mr.. b.
Frank Wood, late Superintendent Of
the Bureau of Marine Fisheries OF
the State Of New York. who is en-
tirely familiar with ali the oyster
grounds in Long Island Sound. He
says
TT il no secret that the natural
shell-fish lands under public waters
raked into a condition of almost en-
tire depletion. until very few traces
can be found of beds which could
under the statutory definition be said
TO be Of natural growth. This dis
appearance of natural growth she'll
fish il not strange or wonderful, for
IL must be remembered that men,
while giving nothing back and doing
nothing to destroy the enemies of the
shell-fish, have raked entire bays and
arms Of the sea bare of their product,
thus destroying the balance of nature
by use OF the most radical means for
the humiliation Of oysters and CLAIMS.
Natural forces are no doubt suffi-
cient to conserve and even guarantee
natural conditions, but when to the
attacks Of starf1sh, borer, periwinkle,
and other enemies Of the shell-fish are
added the sweeping raids of the all
consuming fishermen, there is GER
tainly little left for the mollusc but
extinction:
TT must be understood that as soon
as oysters are found, numbers Of fish
ermen crowd to the locality, and the
shell-fish, before they are as large
as one cent piece, are raked up
and sold as seed. A few weeks or
even days may suffice to deplete en-
tirely the locality of oysters. That
the shell-fish product under such de-
structive manipulation was in immin-
ent danger of being practically wiped
out. and that oysters might soon De
obtainable only as a luxury for the
rich, was years ago, appreciated by
those who have given the subject at
tention, and in consequence the ex-
listing system of state control was in
apgurated- Under the new system
of granting or leasing lands to indi-
vidual planters, lands under water
are granted at a fixed price or rent
al
The planters are encouraged to
make every effort and atopt every
imrroveJn emit which may be expected
to increase the quantity and improve
the quality OF the product. Millions
Of dollars are invested in the indus
try. The arch enemy Of the oyster
star-fish, is successfully combated;
other enemies are effectively dealt
with, and mum erous unfavorable con-
,litions are met and overcome. APP
pliances have been improved, and The
types of vessels used in the business
are constantly bettered.
Under the local natural bed sys-
tenn, efficient means of destroying
the enemies of the shell-fish, involv-
ing the use of steamers, was out of
the question. Under the present sys-
tenn of state control, the planters may
obtain sufficient lands employ capi-
tai to advantage. combat the natural
enemies of the shell-fish and have the
benefit of proper surveys and boun-
darfes. the lines being accurately fixed
and easily relocated when necessary.
There is, unfortunately, in some
OF the towns and villages upon our
coast an unprogressive element COM
posed of those who prefer to reap
where they have not sown; who rely
upon what they term their natural
rights to rake where they may choose
in the public waters. They deplete
but do not build upl They think be-
cause IL may be possible to go out up
on the waters for a few hours in the
twenty-four (whens the tide serves
and dig q. half peck Of shell-fish, that
IL IA sufficient reason why such lands
should not be leased by the State
70 private planters. 1t might as
well be said that it is wrong for the
Government to grant homestead farms
10 settlers because a few black ber-
ries might be plucked upon the lands
by any who cared to look for them.
Though there is an increasing de-
fSnand for she'll fish, there has been a
tendency in many quarters to adopt