238 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
The close seasons operative in this branch of the fishery since 1865 are shown in 
the following condensed statement: 
Years. 
Close season. 
1865-1869 
June 1 to Aug. 31 
May 15 to Sept. 15 
May 1 to Sept. 30 
April 1 to Oot. 14 
1870-1873 
1874-1879 
1880 
The following table exhibits, according to the State records, the number of 
dredging licenses issued in Maryland since the adoption of the license system: 
Table showing number of dredging licenses issued in Maryland. 
It will be observed that from 1878 to 1881 the number of licenses issued was much 
less than during the seasons immediately preceding and following. While it is true 
that a decrease did take place in the number of vessels dredging, yet it was scarcely so 
great as is indicated by the license list, and the decrease in the number of licenses 
issued was due to failure on the part of a number of the vessels to comply with the 
license regulations. This was largely due to the difficulty-of convicting illegal dredgers. 
Under the law of 1878, the wet oysters and ropes lying on deck were not sufficient to 
convict offenders, but it was necessary therefor that sworn statements should be made 
that the dredges were hauled and that oysters, and uot rocks or stones, were brought 
up thereby; but in 1880 this defect in the regulations was remedied. 
The largest annual product from this branch of the oyster fishery was probably 
obtained in 1873-74 or 1875-76, with 1884-85 and 1888-89 following close behind. 
The dredging-grounds . — The water area in Maryland on which this branch of the 
fishery is at present authorized approximates 1,300 squafe miles, of which about 121 
square miles are covered more or less abundantly with natural oyster-reefs. The most 
valuable of these are located between Plum Point and Point Lookout on the Western 
Shore, on the Eastern Shore along Kent, Sharp, and Hooper islands, and on each 
side of the Potomac River. . In the early part of the season the dredging vessels 
usually work off Kent and Sharp islands, and later, as the oysters on those reefs 
become less plentiful, the beds lower down the bay are resorted to. 
The depth of water over the reefs varies from that scarcely sufficient to float 
the vessels down to 60 or more feet, but the average depth is from 15 to 30 feet. The 
mount of empty shells and debris on the beds amounts to something less than 
1 bushel to every bushel of oysters. About 42 square miles of the natural reefs 
are located in the Potomac River, and are resorted to also by the oystermen of 
Virginia, who take therefrom about 500,000 bushels annually. The annual product 
obtained by Maryland oystermen from all the dredge reefs situated in “State waters” 
