THE OYSTER INDUSTRY OF NEW JERSEY. 483 



BARNEGAT BAY. 



Description. — This bay is tlio largest and perhaps the most important 

 of tlie bays along this section of the coast. It is about 137 miles long 

 and 1 to 4 miles wide, and its waters are shallow. Immediately to the 

 south and adjoining it is Little Vjgg Harbor, which is a continuation of 

 Barnegat Bay. These two bodies of water extend the entire length of 

 the shores of Ocean County, and are the field of an extensive clam 

 fishery and of oyster fisheries of considerable importance. 



Natural oyster beds. — Originally the natural oyster beds of the bay 

 were quite productive, but in recent years they have been of less impor- 

 tance, although still producing a considerable quantity of small oysters 

 suitable for planting. From the Pennsylvania Railroad bridge, which 

 spans the bay at Seaside Park on the ocean beach, connecting that 

 village with Island Heights Junction on the south bank of Toms River 

 on the mainland, they are more or less important throughout the entire 

 length of the bay to Little Egg Harbor inlet. 



Cultivated grounds. — Within this region, also, there have been taken 

 up and marked by stakes areas of gronnd for oyster- planting purposes. 

 They ar§ located chiefly at Cedar Creek, Forked River, Barnegat, Man- 

 ahawken and vicinity, West Creek, Parkertown, and Tuckerton. The 

 area of these grounds is not definitely known, but may be from 1,500 to 

 2,000 acres, and are held by approximately 300 persons. The planters, 

 however, do not actually operate the entire area held by them. This 

 fact has given rise to a good deal of dispute and bitter feeling between 

 the oyster- planters and persons engaged in the clam fisheries and in 

 taking oj^sters from the natural beds. The claim is made by those 

 depending entirely on the products of the natural beds that the privi- 

 lege which the State accords to its citizens of reserving unproductive 

 sea bottom for oyster cultivation is being abused, and that under a 

 pretext of reserving unproductive lands for the cultivation of oysters 

 the planters have fraudulently appropriated many valuable clam beds 

 and natural oyster reefs, thus monopolizing areas which, it is claimed, 

 are being used by tliem for oyster-planting contrary to law, or In some 

 instances not used for that purpose (except ostensibly), but held ille- 

 gally in order to secure the natural products of oysters and clams from 

 them, thereby inlringing upon the riglits of the clam and oyster fisher- 

 men who have no private holdings and are confined in their operations 

 to the public domain. 



Various remedies for this evil have been suggested by individuals, 

 but no systematic effort has been made to settle the dispute between 

 tlie contending factions. The result has been that the oyster-planters 

 have met with considerable loss at times fVom depredations committed 

 upon their beds by those who questioned their right of possession, 

 and persons conmnttingsuch tres[)asses have in turn been occ^asionally ' 

 subjected to much inconvenience when having to pay the penalty 

 therefor by tine or imprisonment. 



