306 REPOET OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



WASHINGTON. 



NATIVE OYSTER INDUSTRY OF WILLAPA Oli SIIOALWATER HAY. 



The total annual output of native oysters from Willapa liay is about 

 40,000 sacks. Oysters are taken from the natural deposits below low- 

 Avater mark, the lar<ie ones marketed and the small ones transplanted 

 to the adjacent tide lands until they attain a marketable size. 



This large but shallow bay is cut by many intricate channels of deeper 

 water where small oysters {Ostrra Juri'da) are obtained l)y ton<;injifrom 

 liat-bottomed boats. They are then culled or sorted, and the bulk of 

 each boat load, not being at once marketable, is S(,'attered broadcast 

 Avith shovels ui)on the selected bedding-j^rounds above low- water mark. 

 This is done when such oyster-grounds are sut'licicntly covered by the 

 tides to permit the free passage of boats. Two and a half years is the 

 usual time required ibr the desired growth. 



Each oysternuin marks the boundaries of his bed of transplanted 

 oysters with young pine sax^lings from which most of the branches have 

 been trimmed, the toi)s being left to rendei' such marks more conspic- 

 uous. Some planters occupy as much as 100 acn^s of tide land in this 

 way. 



For transplanting, sandy or other smooth bottom is preferred; it 

 should be clean and free from seaweed. It is claimed that in such 

 situations oysters reach their full size much sooner than on muddy 

 bottom. Seaweed or grass grows raukly in many jiarts of Willapa 

 Bay, and in the vicim'ty of Oysterville has taken full possession of 

 large tracts that Avere formerly vahuible for oysters. It is frequently 

 mowed, but this is difilicult work and can only be favorably done at 

 one stage of the tide Avhen the depth of water is only a few incjhes, 

 AAiiile Hoatiiig Aveed is likely to accumulate against boundary stakes 

 and break them doAvn. 



Oyster beds here are not inclosed by closely set stakes, there being 

 no destructive stingrays as at San h^rancisco. Starlish are abuiulant 

 ui)on (he natural beds along the channels, and are constar'tly destroyed 

 by the oystermen Avheu tonged up. Occasionally severe winters are 

 ruinous to the transplanted beds, as the oysters freeze by being left 

 exposed at low tide, in 1.S.S.S the cold AAcather killed 00 per cent of all 

 oysters lai«l out above low- water mark. 



After the culling operation, salable oysters are thrown into lloats, 

 through Avhich (he water i)assesj"reely, for saf«; keeping until sacked for 

 shi])ment. Sacks holding nearly 2 bushels of oysters sell for $1.7o i)er 

 sack. 



An a\erag(' of nearly 400 baskets of Willapa Bay oyvSters go to San 

 Fi'ancisco by <'ach steamer. Steamers run every four days, and as the 

 baskets hold nearly a bushel, it is j)robabk' that over 35,000 bushels are 



