100 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



what constitutes an oyster- reef must be to a certain extent arbitrary 

 in character, and the following is offered as tentative and is designed 

 especially for the conditions prevailing in Louisiana: 



A natui-al oyster reef, bar, or bed is an area of not less than 500 square yards of 

 the bottom of any body of water upon which oysters are found or have been found 

 within a term of live years immediately preceding the time at which the questions 

 concerning said bottom are decided, in quantities which would warrant taking 

 them for profit by means of tongs. 



The reasons for the several provisions of the definition are as follows : 

 The minimum limit of 500 square yards is placed in order that small or 

 insignificant patches of oysters within the limits of otherwise available 

 planting-grounds shall not, under the provisions of the oyster law, debar 

 an applicant from having such bottom assigned to him as a private plant- 

 ing-ground. The term of five years is established because it is believed 

 that within that time, uuder the conditions existing in Louisiana, a 

 depleted oyster-reef will either have become regenerated or else be 

 beyond hope of redemption by natural agencies, and there will be no 

 reason for further exempting it from occupation as planting-ground. 

 The final provision is to prevent an extinct reef from being regarded 

 as a natural bed for the purposes of the oyster act, merely because 

 it contains a few scattered oysters which could not be taken for the 

 markets with profit. 



9. It is suggested that the oyster laws might in some places be 

 enforced better, as they certainly would be, throughout the State, 

 more uniformly, if their administration were placed in the hands of a 

 State fish commission appointed for that purpose. There are some 

 parts of the State in which the oyster fishery is apparently subject to 

 no suj)ervision whatever, except that now and theu the vessels engaged 

 in it are called upon to pay a tax. 



