The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1956-10-12
NORTH cARoLINA's OYSTER INDUSTRY.

The flavor of North Carolina oysters is unsurpassed
There in Chesapeake Bay in New York waters
Lima oysters were comparable But there have been
many factors to tear down this great asset and
Every and then the oystermen of the state bring
up the subject of aid for the industry before the Board Of
up $4,000 from the State contingency fund for planting
of seed oysters in Hyde Pamlico Cartere Onslow, New
Hanover and Brunswick counties
During the past Is years large sums of money have
been spent to plant oysters this state This money
wPA projects We told that of the money spent
in planting oysters wasted Instances reported
the boated to the BEDS Sometimes
they would take the seed oysters to private beds Inspection
lax and fact inspection of oysters has been lax
some quarters we who live here know to constitute
crime against the industry.
These other have contributed the decline
of the oyster industry in C. Hurricanes have
tremey destructive in that large of natural oyster
kill the oysters many instances just about all
of them oysters planted with public funds not protect
wished Without armed guard constantly duty oysters
safe public bed and sometimes not private beds
So through the tangible gains have been seen
as of money spent rehabitate the oyster
industry The thousands of dollars spent have been the i'm
who coveted the good wages paid boating shells
and seed oytes to other locations Inspection has been lax
line the holds of their boats with empty fish turned
bottom side up whereby when the shells loaded into
resented by the air under the fish boxes This is robbery Of
the rankes sort, and should be punished severely
cOaSuanQ
these things than the distant members of the Conservation
Board who live far from the coast and who know next to
nothing about boats fish, oysters and the ways of the
waters They just have to take somebody's word and it
usually the word of high in political circles this
person doesn't want to offend anyone Often he is extremely
anxious to help good friend point and
times these friends have only selfish interests
Throughout the state more and more people wax
ing to the crimes that have been committed against
great asset-the oyster industry They going to
stop investing money avisly in industry which has
shown gains whatever but has continued to decline
long period beginning with the days of go years and
when greedy oysermen allowed to
the bottoms clean, and ship oysters to Virginia and
Maryland where they used to rehabate the industry
in those states and which the fame of the celebrated
Chesapeake oysters rest today.
We have got to wake up in North Carolina and to show
value and appreciate oyster industry The money the
state invests should be protected We should have tight
specon of OYSTERS stop greedy people from shipping out
stuff which sometimes is under two inches We have got
provide guards to protect oysters that planted greedy
and INSCRIPTIONS people will not steal them before they
have grown size might be better to suspend the
industry for few years. which event howl would go up
but the oystermen would lose much they
will lose they allowed in the present way destroy
the industry completely This is what will in short
time measures not TAKEN and strictly enforced