242 NEW ENGLAND FISHERIES 



The oyster fishery of Rhode Island, like that of Con- 

 necticut, represents the most important branch of the fish- 

 eries in the State. Its value has shown a very steady in- 

 crease for the last twenty-five years. The first value of 

 the fishery in 1880 was $225,500; in 1898, $505,578; in 

 1902, $588,052, and in 1905, $929,963. The yield in bushels 

 for 1898, 1902 and 1905 was over 450,000 bushels, 600,000 

 bushels and 900,000 bushels, respectively. Both the yield 

 and the value show very satisfactory improvement in the 

 industry. 



The private cultivation of the oyster in Rhode Island is 

 carried on under the supervision of the State, represented 

 by a Commission, from whom leases of oyster grounds are 

 obtained. The rate of rental depends upon the depth of 

 water. For a depth of twelve feet and more at mean low 

 tide it is $5 an acre; under twelve feet, $10 an acre. In 

 1864, the total annual rental derived from the grounds was 

 $61. The annual yield increased rapidly and steadily until 

 1885 when it was almost $12,000. From that date to 1899 

 the average annual rental was between $7,000 and $8,000 ; 

 from 1899 to 1905, inclusive, the average rental was almost 

 $33,000 annually ; and for 1906 it was estimated at $59,305 

 derived from the rental of a little more than 8,000 acres of 

 oyster ground. 1 



Formerly star-fish were destructive enemies on many of 

 the beds of Long Island Sound. Record is made in 1884 

 of the destruction of oysters on a single bed to the value 

 of $90,000 solely from star-fish. They do not appear to be 

 so destructive as formerly, owing to the systematic and 

 persistent manner in which they are destroyed by the 

 oyster planters, who use tangles for catching them. In 

 1898, 27,362 bushels of star-fish were caught by the oyster- 

 growers of Narragansett Bay. 



The yield and value of the Connecticut oyster fishery 



i Report of Commission of State Fisheries, R. I., 1906. 



