984 OYSTERS, AND ALL ABOUT THEM. 



purpose of revising the Convention Act of 1844, met at 

 Paris, and their labours resulted in a Revised Convention, 

 which was laid before Parliament at the close of last ses- 

 sion, too late, however, for legislation. As regards oysters, 

 the alteration agreed upon was a reduction of the close 

 season by six weeks. It will commence henceforward on 

 the 1 6th of June and will close on the 3ist of August. 

 This restriction is further strictly limited to the English 

 Channel, and to the seas common to the two countries 

 beyond the three-mile limit of either country. This 

 countrv does not bind itself to enforce a close season 



/ 



elsewhere. The regulation as to the size of the oysters 

 permitted to be taken is removed, and henceforward it will 

 be lawful for oyster-dredgers to take brood wherever they 

 can find them in the open seas. 



Thus much having been done as regards the oyster 

 fisheries in the more open seas, it remains only to trace 

 the action of the Government in respect of the near shore 

 and bay oyster-banks. 



The Commissioners, holding that there is no legal 

 close time enforceable at present, refrained from advising 

 that there should be any fresh legislation in this direction ; 

 but they recommended that facilities should be given to 

 individual companies to acquire property in favourably 

 situated portions of the sea-bottom, so as to enable them 

 to invest capital in preparing these places for oyster- 

 culture. There are already numerous private oyster-beds 

 of this nature, situate for the most part on the coast of 

 Essex and Kent. These perform a double duty in the 

 economy of oysters. They are reserves to which the 

 brood or small oysters, taken by the dredgers in the open 

 seas, or on the beds open to all the world, are brought and 

 laid down till they are sufficiently grown to be sent to 



