CHAPTER XXIX. 



OYSTER CULTURE IN SPAIN, (a) 



The Spanish, peninsula has 2920 kilometres of coast, 

 which, when considering the fisheries, can be divided into 

 three districts marked by nature by means of slight varia- 

 tions. The first is comprised between the French frontier 

 on the Bidasoa river and Mino limit of Portugal, forming 

 a total length of 1567 kilometres of coast. This is the part 

 most productive in fisheries industry, and fishing is carried 

 on by some steamers and chiefly by sailing vessels using 

 nets, lines, and hooks. 



The culture of oyster and other mollusca, as well as the 

 protection and cultivation of lobsters, is carried on in that 

 part of Spain. There are also many private establishments 

 granted by Government to private individuals for the cul- 

 tivation of mollusca, chiefly oysters ; in consequence of this, 

 and with the Government's prevision of preventing the 

 depletion, we hope the ancient natural beds formerly so 

 rich and now nearly all exhausted by over-dredging will 

 again acquire their former wealth of mollusca. 



(a) "The Fisheries of Spain," by Lieut. -Col. Francisco Garcia Sola. 

 Papers of the Conferences, held in connection with the great International 

 Fisheries Exhibition, 1883. 



