59 



OYSTER CULTURE AND FISHERIES. 

 By Captain Stanley, R.N. 



[Bead IStJi Septe^Jiber, 1880.] 



The object, of this paper is to attract attention to the im- 

 portant subject of oyster farming, as well as to induce thought- 

 fulness in the minds of the public on the subject of fisheries 

 in general. The excellent natural position of Tasmania as 

 regards climate, its numerous small ports and rivers, the 

 fact of its being an island and a large proportion of its in- 

 habitants likely to become maritime ; all these circumstances 

 tend to the conclusion that Tasmania will in the future largely 

 not only consume fish itself, tut supply the Australian 

 markets with that most wholesome of food. At the present 

 time we see very little indication of this ; not only do we not 

 fish ourselves to any extent worth speaking of, but we permit 

 our neighbours, the Victorians, to do as they like with our 

 fisheries, apparently ignorant of the fact that a precedent is 

 being established, and that there may be difficulties hereafter 

 concerning boundaries such as have confronted the people of 

 Canada and the United States, or of France and England. 

 At present it would certainly remind us of that well-known 

 fable, " The dog in the manger," if we prohibited other 

 colonists from fishing in our water, but the law requires to be 

 explicit, and the imposition of a small tax would preserve 

 existing rights. I am informed that a very fine fish bank 

 exists at a distance of about 30 miles in a south-easterly 

 direction from Cape Pillar, and I am willing to believe that 

 this is only one of many. I feel confident that there are many 

 oyster beds undiscovered ; but who would care to waste time 

 in finding a bed, when all the time, trouble, and energy 

 would avail the toiler nothing. If there is one sentiment 

 more grafted in human nature than another, it is the deter- 

 mination not to waste our labour for the benefit of other 

 people ; when we do, it is either by accident or we have mis- 

 calculated results. 



Before proceeding, I beg it to be understood that I claim 

 no originality or special knowledge in being bold enough to 

 discuss the subject of fisheries, and more particularly the 

 oyster fisheries. Others have been before me, and I am only 

 contributing my iota, but I consider it an important one, 

 which should be dealt with by the Legislature. It was my 

 intention, in company with several other gentlemen, to en- 

 deavour to revivify one of the now despoiled oyster beds, but 

 as a preliminary made myself acquainted with the pro- 

 tection the law afforded. To my astonishment I discovered 

 that no tenure of an existing " scalp" could be obtained, 



