98 



U. S. BUREAU OP FISHERIES 



htnl.s are formod by " coon " oysters of inferior (luality, while single 

 oysters of better (juality are found scattered about in deej)er watei's 

 below low-walei' mark. Jiunch or cluster oysteis aic mostly used 

 by the local canneries, the price averagin*; from 10 tt) 12 cents a 

 bushel, while sin<rle oysters bring a price of (50 cents to $1 a bushel- 

 It is quite obvious that the best policy is that which encourages the 

 production of the best type and increases the total crop. As the 

 depletion of the natural beds continues, it is necessary to restore and 

 j)rotect them from future destruction. These measures should be 

 taken at once, because the exhaustion of the natural beds leads to a 

 threatening decrease of the annual output. Merely the restoration 

 of tlie natural beds will not, however, improve the quality of the 

 oyster, noi' will it inci-ease considerably the total production. Foi- 



40 



I/O 30 



—I 



20 



o 

 a: 



3 4 5 6 7 8 9 

 CMS. 



12 



FiGUUB 23. — I-iongth and width of 2-year-ol(] oysters grown on brush planted in 



North River 



the two latter purposes the following practical measures should bc> 

 adopted: (1) The return of the shells to the natural beds from whicli 

 oysters were taken, (2) the restoiation of the (lei)leted oyster beds 

 by the planting of seed or adult oysters, (;3) the establishment of 

 oyster beds in siutable localities, and (4) the development of oyster 

 culture. 



Return of the shells to natural beds. — Under section 10 of tlie 

 coastal fi.sheries law of the State of Georgia, the lessee is required 

 to deposit every year under the supervision of the tidewater com- 

 missioner a number of bushels of shells equal to 25 per cent of bush- 

 els of oysters taken from the grounds leased. If reasonably enforced, 

 this rule will be of great benefit for maintaining the natural beds 

 and preventing their depletion, provided that the planting opera- 

 tions are carefidly supervised so that the shells are planted at the 

 right time and j)lace. 



