The Rise And Decline Of The Olympia Oyster 



Oyster Reserve in Oakland Bay. This proved to be the 

 best seed ground of any they have ever developed. The 

 seed could be moved successfully from these Reserves to 

 any oyster ground in Oyster Bay, Mud Bay, Little Skook- 

 man Bay or South Bay. 



The seed set in the Oakland Bay Reserve dike was 

 tremendous. I have heard Dr. Kincaid say that he thought 

 it was the heaviest setting ground, and the most reliable 

 set, of any place in the world. He has visited about every 

 oyster producing country and is fully informed on their 

 oyster production. I, myself, have examined these beds 

 year after year in the early days, and found the dikes 

 filled with seed. Each spring the State would sell thous- 

 ands of bushels of seed to oyster growers. Then they 

 would again cultch the beds with shell, and in two years 

 it would produce another large crop of beautiful seed. 

 This continued until the pulp industry came to Shelton. 

 The said beds are nov/ entirely non-productive. 



Other reserves were improved at Clifton, Mason 

 County, but were less valuable. The set was not as heavy, 

 and the water conditions different than in southern Pu- 

 get Sound. After many unsuccessful attempts to move 

 the seed, it was abandoned for Olympia Oysters, and la- 

 ter leased for Pacific Oyster culture. 



In some places, especially in the Hood Canal district 

 on Puget Sound, the State Fisheries Department main- 

 tains reserves for the use of the public, and permits a 

 limited take of oysters per person for their use. 



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