THE ECONOMIC MOLLL'SCA OF ACADIA. 59 



%een increased one-third by the use of this mud during the 

 -few years since it began to be generally made use of." It is 



• clear, as there is other testimony also to show, that the pro- 

 tection of the Oyster must be so managed as to allow of the 

 taking of the Mussel-mud by the farmers. 



There are two futures open to the Oyster-industry of 

 Acadia: free fishing by the people and a lingering death, or 

 vigorous government interference and a great and lasting 

 prosperity. This is the kernel of the whole matter — govern- 

 (fnent interference. It has worked well in other countries ; 

 it would, under the same conditions, work well in this. The 

 duty of the government, if it take charge of it, would be two- 

 fold, — to regulate the fishery on the public beds and to give 



• encouragement to culture by corporations or individuals. As 

 to the first, the position and extent of beds must be determined, 

 and each one given a period of rest, being fished not oftener 

 than once in three years; the close season should be vigorously 

 enforced; fishermen must, under heavy penalties, return to 

 the water all Oysters under a certain size; mud-machines 

 .must be restricted to certain places in each district, being 

 .given ample liberty but not allowed within a certain distance 

 of any living bed; mills must not be allowed to discharge 

 sawdust into the water within a long distance of a living bed; 

 fishing through the ice should be regulated so that refuse 

 cannot be allowed to fall on the beds. As to the encourage- 

 ment of culture, laws should be enacted which would give to 

 a culturist as good a right to his product, and as full protec- 

 tion from theft, as has a farmer. Areas in good localities 



.should be set aside and leased for long periods, but as a rule 

 the public beds should not be trespassed upon. Some beds 

 should always be reserved for public fishing; freedom to 

 take wild game under common sense conditions, the Dominion 

 should be very slow to take from its citizens. Private indivi- 

 duals should be encouraged to take their seed-oysters from 

 our own beds, as there are none better nor so good for our 

 ■climate. A measure which might be needful would be the 

 .appointment of a commissioner, who should be a man trained 

 in the best methods of culture of Europe and the United 



