109-f OYSTERS, AND ALL ABOUT THEM. 



fort, Marennes, and the island of Oleron, were fished with 

 some regard to their preservation, since their oysters found 

 a market only in those places which were situated along 

 the neighbouring coast. But in 1854 Rochefort was placed 

 in connection with the interior by means of the network of 

 railroads, and the market for these oysters, and the profits 

 from them, increased so much that they were taken until 

 these beds were almost entirely depopulated. From 

 15,000,000 in i854-'55, the catch fell off to 400,000 in 



. . . . It is, therefore, not enough to regulate the 

 time of catching and the size of oysters, if, at the same 

 time, care is not used to prevent too large a number of 

 oysters from being taken from the beds during any 

 one fishing season. But what number is too great ? A 

 foundation for an estimate of the number of oysters which 

 may be taken away from the beds without injury to their 

 productiveness can be obtained, for the Schleswig-Holstein 

 beds, by means of the inquiry in regard to their produc- 

 tiveness. This productiveness is, upon an average, 421 

 per thousand ; so for every 1000 full-grown oysters which 

 are now upon the beds not more than 421 ought to be 

 taken away annually. Upon a number of banks where 

 the productiveness is less than this the number taken 

 should be less. Upon the Huntje bed, where the produc- 

 tion is more than 421 per thousand, as many as 484 for 

 every thousand can be taken yearly, without endangering 

 or lessening the productiveness, since that number of 

 medium oysters grow into marketable oysters every year. 

 But although the productivenesss is thus expressed by a pro- 

 portional number, yet the absolute number of full-grown 

 oysters which may be taken from a bed during any one 

 season cannot be arrived at without further consideration. 



