OYSTER CULTURE IX ENGLAND. 409 



the larger number of cases spat falls either in every year or 

 at least in most years. 



I am, &c., 



(Signed) W. E. HALL. 



The Assistant Secretary, 

 Harbour Department, Board of Trade. 



EMSWORTH CHANNEL FISHERY ORDER. 



# 



20, Onslow Gardens, bth January, 1877. 



Sir, I have the honour to inform you that, in accord- 

 ance with vour instructions, dated the iSth November, 



j 



1876, I visited Emsworth on the 2Oth December, in order 

 to inspect the Emsworth Channel Oyster Fishery, of which 

 the Emsworth Dredgermen's Co-operative Society are the 

 undertakers, under " The Emsworth Channel Fishery 

 Order, 1871." 



In 1871, at the date of the public inquiry held by Mr. 

 Pennell previously to the grant of the Order, it appears 

 from the evidence given before him that the fishery which, 

 three years before, was in a very exhausted state, had then 

 still further deteriorated, and that not more than 20 or 25 

 marketable oysters could be taken in a tide. Mr. Pennell 

 reported that " two things were urgently required to resus- 

 citate the Emsworth fishery, viz. (i), that the ground and 

 cultch should be cleared by being thoroughly worked over 

 with the dredge ; and (2), that it should be re-stocked with 

 breeding oysters. If these two things are not done, and 

 the ground left open as at present, I believe that in a few 

 years it will be entirely barren." Although no re-stocking 



