DETERIORATION OF AMERICAN OYSTER-BEDS. 155 



It would be useless to give a synopsis of the laws of the several 

 States, so far as they relate to the oyster-fishery, as long as we are 

 ignorant both of the condition of the beds and of the amount of ob- 

 servance of the law. In the locality which has been investigated an 

 inefficient law is entirely disregarded. An oyster-guard exists, but 

 pays no attention to the duties assigned it, and the fishery is governed 

 solely by the demands of the market and the necessities of the oyster- 

 men. AVhat should be done in this locality, now that the condition 

 of the beds is known, will be apparent to any one ; and the sooner 

 other localities are subjected to a similar examination and the condi- 

 tion of the beds determined, the better. 



So far as it is possible to give an opinion which is suitable to all 

 localities, it would seem that any legislation looking to the protection 

 of the oyster-beds should comprise the following : 



An organized and systematic effort to discover new beds and to 

 extend the old ones. Continued experiments, in order to ascertain the 

 possibility of artificially raising the oysters in sufficient numbers to 

 restock impoverished areas. The maintenance of a commission to 

 have charge of all matters pertaining to the fishery the commission 

 to be composed of intelligent men, having special knowledge of the 

 subject and allowed considerable power, and to be so appointed and 

 constituted that their acts will be influenced by no considerations 

 other than those for the good of the beds. Under the control of the 

 commission should be a fishery-guard, of sufficient power and impor- 

 tance to enforce the regulations of the commission. 



The regulations of the commission should have in view the follow- 

 ing desired results : The prevention of exhaustive dredging. The res- 

 ervation of those beds or parts of beds upon which there is a large 

 number of young growth. The prevention of the removal of the 

 young growth from the beds. The close observance of the close-time, 

 which should include the outer limits of the spawning-season. The 

 cleansing of the beds before the advent of the young brood. The ex- 

 posure of suitable " cultch " when a bed has been long worked, and 

 the destruction of starfish, drills, or other enemies that may exist on 

 the beds. 



While I am unable to say with certainty that the beds of other 

 localities than the one I have examined have been overworked, yet I 

 should infer that such was probably the case ; and, considering the 

 surprising results of the investigation of one locality, and one which 

 was supposed to be the most productive in the country, if not in the 

 world, the investigation of others can not be too soon undertaken. 



The probability of all our beds arriving in time at the forlorn con- 

 dition of the European oyster-banks has been foreseen, and Professor 

 Mobius warns us of the consequence of our exhaustive fishery in the 

 following words : " In North America the oysters are so fine and so 

 cheap that they are eaten daily by all classes ; hence they are now, 



