84 THE MOLLUSK FISHERIES 



The set of young scallops is abundant in shallow water upon the 

 eel-grass flats, which often, as is the case of the Common Flats at 

 Chatham, are exposed at extremely low tides. A severe winter often 

 kills off all the " seed " thus exposed. In this case no spawn is ob- 

 tained the following summer, causing the suppression of the scallop 

 fishery in that locality for at least a few years, and possibly its per- 

 manent extinction. 



III. Improvement; restocking Barren Areas. The scallop indus- 

 try, unlike the clam and quahaug, offers but little inducement to private 

 enterprise. For successful private culture smallbays or coves would 

 be needed, and suitable areas are very scarce. The scallop offers better 

 opportunity for communal culture, i.e., by towns. 



There is but one way now known of artificial propagation for the 

 scallop industry, and that is by transplanting in the fall the abundant 

 set from the exposed places to the deeper water before the seed is killed 

 by the winter. It is merely assisting nature by preventing a natural 

 loss, and in no sense can properly be termed propagation. It is merely 

 a preventive, and money used in this way to preserve the scallops is 

 well expended. Usually the set is abundant, and can be transferred 

 in large numbers. This is the only practical method now known of 

 increasing our scallop supply, though it is hoped in the future that 

 other methods may be devised. 



In connection with the above comes the question, if we can thus 

 preserve scallops doomed to destruction, will it not be profitable to 

 transplant scallops to places where the scalloping has been exterminated 

 by various causes, and by means of these " seeders " furnish succeeding 

 generations which may populate the barren areas? This plan is prac- 

 tical and feasible, and should be given due consideration. Why should 

 not scallops be transplanted to our Buzzards Bay harbors, to again 

 restock these areas? Often the attempt might fail, but there is bound 

 to be success if there is perseverance. The best time to plant these 

 scallops is in the fall, as a double service will be given: (1) preserva- 

 tion from destruction of the seed scallops; (2) furnishing spawn and 

 young in the barren locality. Ingersoll speaks of the restocking of 

 Oyster Bay in 1880 : 



In the spring of 1880 eel grass came into the bay, bringing young scal- 

 lops [the eel grass carries the scallops attached to it by the thread-like 

 byssus] ; thus the abundance of that year was accounted for, though there 

 had not been a crop before in that bay since 1874. 



If such a restocking can be accomplished by nature, it can be done 

 with more certain effect with man's assistance. 



