The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1913-10-18
WILL PUSH BILL
FOR LEASING OF
OYSTER GROUNDS
State Oyster Commission Expect Bill
TO Be Made Law ut Next
Legislature.
Gulfport, October 16.

Gulfport, October 16.
The Mississippi Oyster Commission
expects to present bill at the next
legislature which will permit the leas-
ing of oyster grounds in Mississippi.
Such bill was presented for the con-
sideration of the last session, but for
some unaccountable reason was pig
con holed and not made into law.
The Commission will see to it this
time that the measure will be given
careful consideration and will put up
a stiff fight for its passage. Besides
the support of the Coast oyster men
and others interested in the Develop
ment of the industry, the commission
will have the backing of II. F. Moore,
the United States Government expert,
who recently made survey of the
eastern half of the Mississippi beds,
and who frankly says in his report
that the oyster industry of this state
will never be more than nominally
successful if such law is not passed.
In his report, issued recently, of the
survey of the Biloxi and Pascagoula
beds, Mr.. Moore declares that he is
hearty in accord with the report of
the Oyster Commission favOring a
leasing law, and that he would be in
favor of even more liberal measure.
He states further that state planting
and supervision will not be a sue
cess because the state cannot and will
not give the beds the care which a
private planter would, and that the
fishermen will not be SO careful OF
the beds nor so considerate of future
crops when they know that the state
is doing the planting and raising.
private beds produce more and the
oysters are BETTER" he declares. "ln
Mississippi, the average price OF
plants was twice that of oysters from
the public beds and general expert
ence has shown that the better and
higher priced oysters can find mar
ket when the inferior, low-priced stock
is begging for buyer.
The care of the public beds is source
of state outlay. The leasing of bar
rem and naturally unproductive bot
tom is a source of state revenue"
In his summary Mr.. Moore says
further, "The state should enact such
legislation as will permit and encour-
age commercial experiments in oyster
culture on the present barren bot
toms. There are within the limits of
the survey Zone half of Mississippis
Coast) upward of $4,000 acres of
bottom, now worthless, but appar-
emily suitable for oyster culture.
These bottoms, if experiment should
confirm favorable opinion as to their
utility, constitute valuable asset for
the state now wasted for lack OF
legal authority for their rental. This
defect in the oyster laws should be
corrected"
Encouraged by the governmental
approval of their recommendation, OF
which only a part has been quoted,
the members of the State Commission
are going after the passage of the
law with redoubled energy. In few
weeks the representatives and sena-
tors of the Coast Counties will meet
with the Commissioners, bill on
which every one of them can agree
will be drafted, and the fight for its
passage will be carried on the floor
of the legislature. 1t is expected that
the support of every oyster man on
| the Coast will be enlisted.