752 OYSTERS, AND ALL ABOUT THEM. 



ON THE CLOSED SEASON. 



Among the favourite remedies for the destruction of 

 the oyster beds, the shortening of the season is a favourite 

 measure, and it has many advocates. This remedy seems, 

 at first sight, to be an effective one, but a little thought 

 shows that it is, in reality, of no very great value. 



So long as our present oyster policy is maintained, it 

 will be necessary to have a closed season, to facilitate the 

 enforcement of other legal measures ; but as it is clear to 

 everyone that a good number of fishermen, working upon a 

 bed for a short season, will do just as much damage as a 

 lesser number working for a longer time, we cannot hope 

 that laws to shorten the season will, in themselves, effect 

 any great improvement in the condition of the beds. 



. . . . In Massachusetts any resident may take 

 oysters for family use, between September ist and June ist, 

 but no one can take them without a permit between June 

 ist and September ist, although the local authorities have 

 the power to grant permits to fish for oysters at any time. 



Some of the public beds of Rhode Island are open to 

 residents between September i5th and May isth, while 

 others are open only between April ist and June i5th, but 

 no one can take more than twenty bushels in one day. 



Connecticut has no closed season, and her public as 

 well as private beds are fished at all times. The beds in 

 the river Thames, however, are closed by a local law 

 between March ist and September ist. 



New York has local laws for the closure of the beds of 

 certain regions at specified times, and some of the towns 

 have town laws to the same effect ; thus the beds of Great 

 South Bay are closed by a State law from March ist to 

 September ist, and those in Harlem River from June ist 



