74 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION 



No doubt the war has had a great deal to do with 

 Scarcity of discouraging investors who were previously willing to 



take shares in oyster companies. At a time when so 

 many industries are seriously affected, very few people care to venture 

 capital in an enterprise which, so far as Prince Edward Island is con- 

 cerned, has yet to be proved remunerative. 



The opposition of the fishermen and their friends to 

 Fwhemen "^ the industry has been another factor with which the 



planters have had to contend. Although I firmly be- 

 lieve that, eventually, the planting of leased areas will be beneficial to 

 the fishermen, as it will have the effect of re-stocking the public beds, 

 still it is hard to impress the general public with this idea. 



Again, as any person may with impunity carry a drag 

 of Poaching ^ ^'^ motor boat, no action can be instituted unless 

 such person is actually caught in the act of dragging. 

 In spite of watchmen, leased areas have been frequently despoiled and 

 detection has been difficult and, in most cases, impossible, as the 

 inhabitants near the shores do not care to give evidence against their 

 neighbours. The Government patrol boats are so few and have so 

 much other work that they can do very little in the way of protection 

 and it is to be feared that, unless sufficient protection can be afforded, 

 a number of the companies will clean up their areas and go out of 

 business. 



D struct! n "^^ star-fish is largely responsible for the depletion 



Caused by of Malpeque bay and it is one of the worst enemies 



Star-fish ^^^ ^.j,g private companies have to combat. They do 



all they can to keep their planted beds swept but, as the leased areas 

 form a very small portion of the bay and, as little is done towards 

 keeping the public areas free from star^sh, the little that the com- 

 panies can do towards the destruction of this pest is to no purpose. 



Whilst dealing with the star-fish problem I would like to quote 

 from the first report submitted by Prof. A. D. Robertson, who, for the 

 last two summers, has been engaged upon biological work in 

 Malpeque bay. Dealing with the presence of the oyster's enemies 

 Prof. Robertson says: 



" Star-fish (Asterias vulgaris, Verrill) are abundant now in 

 Malpeque bay. A few years ago they were a curipsity. They con- 

 stitute one of the worst enemies of the oyster in this bay. They are 

 found in all parts of it, but are particularly abundant on the oyster 

 grounds around Cu;-tain islands and in the Big bay. The Government 

 steamer the Ostrea, under Capt. Kemp, did good work during the sum- 



