FISH AND fishehies. 175 



Inspection of Artificial Oyster-beds and Layings. 



18. Artificial oyster-beds and layings of any lessee (not being private 

 fisheries under Part III) may be inspected by any Inspector once in 

 every month, or oftener if directed by the Commissioners, upon such 

 Inspector giving twenty -four hours' notice either to the lessee or his 

 manager or his agent in charge of the beds of the intention to inspect 

 the same. In the course and for the j^urposes of such inspection the 

 lessee, his manager, agent and servants shall, at the request of the 

 Inspector, test the state of any bed or laying required by the Inspector 

 to be tested, by dredging or gathering by tongs, hand or otherwise (ac- 

 cording to the nature of the bed) oysters from such bed, under a penalty 

 upon every such person refusing or neglecting to do so of £5. 



Dredging on Natural Oyster-beds. 



19. Natural oyster-beds shall not be dredged, nor shall any oysters be 

 taken from such beds (except by an Inspector in the performance of his 

 duties) unless the same shall have been notified in the Gazette to be open 

 for dredging or otherwise than in accordance with the directions of the 

 Inspector of the fishery within which such oyster-beds are situated. 



Gleaning, d'c, of Natural Beds. 



20. The Inspector may, notwithstanding any such notification as afore- 

 said, close any natural oyster-bed, or portion thereof, for the purj)ose of 

 cleaning, levelling, or otherwise improving the same, in any case where 

 and for such time as in his opinion such closing shall be necessary ; 

 but such closing shall be subject to revocation and modification by the 

 Commissioners. No dredging shall take place on a bed or portion 

 so closed until the same shall be declared by the Inspector or the 

 Commissioners to be again open for dredging. 



Insi^ector may in certain cases sfojy Dredging. 



21. Whenever the Inspector shall be of opinion that the further dredg- 

 ing of any bed would be injurious, or that the oysters therein are out of 

 season, and not fit for food, whether by reason of spatting, freshets, or 

 any other cause, he may prohibit the dredging or taking of oysters from 

 such bed for such period, subject to the directions of the Commissioners, 

 as he shall think necessary, and during such period no person shall 

 dredge for or take oysters from any such bed under a penalty not 

 exceeding £20. 



None but Licensed Dredgers to Dredge. 



22. No persons shall be allowed to dredge for or take oysters from any 

 natural oyster-bed who shall not, on demand of the Inspector, produce 

 the oyster-dredging license for inspection. 



No tur?i allowed unless to Licensed Oyster-dredgers. 



23. Every person bespeaking a tvirn for dredging on any such bed must 

 produce his license (if required by the Inspector) before such turn shall 

 be allowed. 



