200 Report of the Board of Shell Fish Commissioners 

 RECOMMENDATIONS. 



SEED OYSTERS. 



On March 28, 1907, in accordance with the provisions of Sec- 

 tion 111 of the Haman Oyster Culture Law, the Commission 

 passed an order designating the section of the Bay containing 

 a part of the public oyster grounds, known as "The Lumps," for 

 the purpose of supplying seed oysters to persons engaged in 

 planting or cultivating oysters on grounds leased for this 

 purpose from the State, and prescribing such regulations as 

 were deemed necessary to prevent the oysters taken from the 

 section designated, during the period from April 15-May 15, 

 being sold or used for purposes other than planting on bottoms 

 leased from the State. 



This order was communicated to the Board of Public Works 

 on April 5, with a request that the Commander of the State 

 Fishery Force be instructed to detail one or more police boats 

 to patrol the waters of the section designated to prevent viola- 

 tions of the provisions of the order. 



In designating a police boat to patrol the waters of the sec- 

 tion set apart for taking seed oysters for planting purposes, the 

 Commander instructed the captain of the police boat to see that 

 the provisions of the Cull Law were not violated by those who 

 resorted to the section for the purpose of securing seed oysters. 



As a result of these instructions, upheld by an opinion of 

 the Attorney General rendered May 2, the object of the order 

 passed by the Commission was defeated and no seed oysters 

 were secured by planters from the section designated. 



The Commission, prior to passing its order, studied the seed- 

 oyster question carefully and, in designating the section con- 

 taining "The Lumps" for the purpose of supplying planters 

 with seed oysters, it is of the opinion that it not only acted 

 within the bounds of the authority conferred upon it by the 

 Haman Oyster Culture Law, but that in its action no injury 

 whatever was inflicted to the interests of those who depend 

 upon the natural oyster bars of the State for a livelihood. 



