152 
portion is only sufficiently dredged to remove weeds, mud, 
vermin, Ac. The remainder of the bed is opened to all licensed 
persons for a certain specified time. The following year an- 
other part of the bank is reserved, and occasionally parts are 
reserved for a longer period. The local commission decides 
all matters pertaining to the beds and their vicinity, and is 
composed of the following officers : The Inspector of the Fish- 
eries, the Commander of the Fishery Guard, two “ Gardes- 
Maritimes, one fisherman, master of a boat. The following 
are the most important regulations made for the guidance of 
the Commissions by the Minister of the Marine : The beds 
should not be opened for fishing until the spat has acquired 
strength to resist the action of the dredge ; until the end of 
January, for example. When a bed has well established breed- 
ing capacities a fourth or fifth part of its total area should be 
set apart as a reserve, and dredging over such part entirely pro- 
hibited. A Fishery Guard boat should, whenever practicable, 
take part in the working of each bed. When a bed is foul or 
encumbered with weeds or other matter noxious to the devel- 
opment or adherence of spat, it should be open for dredg- 
ing until cleaned. Beds on which there is jiever any pro- 
duction of spat shall be opened all through the season. After 
the working of any bed is over, it should be carefully in- 
spected, and if necessary, the cultch replenished. The close 
time is between the 1st of May and the 31st of August, and 
is strictly observed. The foregoing regulations have caused a 
great improvement in the beds on the French coast, and the 
regulations of other nations have been made and enforced in 
time to prevent the depletion of their beds. 
As an instance of the effect of this protective policy, when 
understanding^ conceived and rigidly enforced, the beds in 
the Bay of Arcachon are a good example. In 1870, through 
over-fishing, they had become entirely exhausted, but by the 
strict protection afforded them their fecundity has once more 
become so great (in 1876) that the waters of the Bay from 
June until August are filled with the young swarm. On a 
bed when dry, at low spring ebbs, comprising 26.7 acres, there 
were taken by 40 or 50 persons, in about two and a half 
