134 '^^^ Commercial Products of the Sea. 



It can only live and breed in certain shallow estuaries, and 

 even in these it only thrives within particular limits. If we 

 overfish our estuaries we depopulate them, and we have 

 systematically over-dredged our oyster beds. Thus we are 

 now reaping the inevitable result of extravagance and 

 waste. We must cultivate the oyster, or else rest content 

 to see it become still scarcer, or even extinct. No third 

 course is possible. Oyster culture in England is still in its 

 infancy, but it is satisfactory to know that steps are being 

 taken to improve our knowledge of the subject. 



The oyster fishing of Arklow, on the east coast of 

 Ireland, is a large and constant source of employment to 

 the fishermen. The oysters are carried in boats to Beau- 

 maris, in Anglesey, where they are laid on banks and raised 

 when required for the Liverpool market. 



Oysters continue to be scarce and dear in England. 

 In former years some hundreds of boats might be seen in 

 Goree harbour, Jersey, engaged in the fishery ; now, scarcely 

 a dozen boats can pay their way by dredging. The fishing 

 is most active from February to May. 



During the spring of 1850 the number of Jersey boats 

 employed in the fishery was 70, manned by 350 men ; of 

 English boats, 119, manned by 623 men — a total of 189 

 boats, 4018 tons, 983 men. The quantity of oysters 

 caught was 105,000 tubs, which fetched y. a tub — or 

 ;£'i 5,300! In the autumn of the same year there were 

 40 Jersey boats, manned by 200 men ; 40 English boats, 

 220 men. These 80 boats caught 19,200 tubs, which sold 

 at 2s. 6d. per tub, or ;£'2400 ; the total produce of the 

 oysters dredged in the spring and autumn of 1850 being 

 thus ;^ 1 7,700. 



In Falmouth harbour there are from 200 to 300 boats 

 employed in the oyster fishery. The price has risen from 

 2s. to 1 8 J. per bushel. 



