not the worm itself which was fatal, but that by boring
through the shell it afforded entrance for the fine mud,
which quickly destroyed the oyster. From the result of
his researches, however, Mr. Whitelegge believes that the
young worm simply swims into the open oyster, and that
it immediately begins to construct a tube and collect a
large quantity of mud. The worms appear to have the
power of collecting a large quantity of mud in a very
short time. The mud is covered over at once by the
oyster with a thin layer of shelly matter, thus enveloping
the worm, together with its mud. After this, one of two
things happens : if the oyster be healthy, it envelops the
worm and mud so quickly as to dispose of the intruder
for good ; but, on the other hand, if the oyster be
unhealthy, or already infested, the shelly deposition is far
slower, as a consequence of which the worm gains the
ascendency, and the oyster succumbs.
In Victoria, too, the oyster fisheries are in a most
unsatisfactory condition. According to Mr. Saville Kent,
the author of The Great Barrier Reef of Australia and
formerly Commissioner of Fisheries in several of the
Australian colonies, and who is qualified to speak on these
matters, the destruction of the oyster there has been
brought about by sedimentary deposits, by parasitic growths,
such as sponges, mussels, ascidians, and sea-weed ; by the
attacks of the dog-whelk and other natural enemies ; and
by their continual removal by human agency. He points
out that there are the remains of magnificent natural beds
in different parts, but that they are on the verge of ruin
through neglect on the one h.md and the invasion of
poachers on the other. In short, he very plainly shows
that unless active measures be taken for their general
resuscitation and development, Victoria will have to look
elsewhere for her oyster supply.
FISH AND OYSTERS— THEIB FOOD VALUE. 153
THE RE-CREATION OF OUR OYSTER FISHERIES.
If one only looks to the conduct of some of those who
have been engaged in our oyster fisheries, the reason for
their present defective state will be readily apparent. The
Fisheries Commissioners well express it when they state
that " If a person takes up ground only for the purpose
" of collecting and selling whatever oysters he finds upon
" it, and bestows no care in providing for the continuity
" of the supply, that ground must cease to be produc-
" tix£." And apart from this it will be found that even
when every effort has been made to provide for continuous
supply, yet the matter is by no means easy.
The truth is the oyster fisheries have been managed
in a happy-go-lucky way. There has been but little care
taken in their conservation, and the inevitable result is
that the winnings, as the official figures show, are rapidly
failing. The same thing is not peculiar to Australia,
however, and has happened everywhere else where the
same careless policy has been pursued. We have, then, a
grain of comfort from the fact that it is not confined to us.
In our own case the Fisheries Commissioners have re-
peatedly called attention to the need for certain legisla-
tive reform in connection with our oysteries. They assert,
in fact, that " it is absolutely imperative that our oyster
" beds and deposits must be regulated on quite a different
" system to that which obtains under the existing law."
Page 106
Presented as published in 1893. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
not the worm itself which was fatal, but that by boring through the shell it afforded entrance for the fine mud, which quickly destroyed the oyster. From the result of his researches, however, Mr. Whitelegge believes that the young worm simply swims into the open oyster, and that it immediately begins to construct a tube and collect a large quantity of mud. The worms appear to have the power of collecting a large quantity of mud in a very short time. The mud is covered over at once by the oyster with a thin layer of shelly matter, thus enveloping the worm, together with its mud. After this, one of two things happens : if the oyster be healthy, it envelops the worm and mud so quickly as to dispose of the intruder for good ; but, on the other hand, if the oyster be unhealthy, or already infested, the shelly deposition is far slower, as a consequence of which the worm gains the ascendency, and the oyster succumbs.
In Victoria, too, the oyster fisheries are in a most unsatisfactory condition. According to Mr. Saville Kent, the author of The Great Barrier Reef of Australia and formerly Commissioner of Fisheries in several of the Australian colonies, and who is qualified to speak on these matters, the destruction of the oyster there has been brought about by sedimentary deposits, by parasitic growths, such as sponges, mussels, ascidians, and sea-weed ; by the attacks of the dog-whelk and other natural enemies ; and by their continual removal by human agency. He points out that there are the remains of magnificent natural beds in different parts, but that they are on the verge of ruin through neglect on the one hand and the invasion of poachers on the other. In short, he very plainly shows that unless active measures be taken for their general resuscitation and development, Victoria will have to look elsewhere for her oyster supply.
THE RE-CREATION OF OUR OYSTER FISHERIES.
If one only looks to the conduct of some of those who have been engaged in our oyster fisheries, the reason for their present defective state will be readily apparent. The Fisheries Commissioners well express it when they state that " If a person takes up ground only for the purpose " of collecting and selling whatever oysters he finds upon " it, and bestows no care in providing for the continuity " of the supply, that ground must cease to be productive." And apart from this it will be found that even when every effort has been made to provide for continuous supply, yet the matter is by no means easy.
The truth is the oyster fisheries have been managed in a happy-go-lucky way. There has been but little care taken in their conservation, and the inevitable result is that the winnings, as the official figures show, are rapidly failing. The same thing is not peculiar to Australia, however, and has happened everywhere else where the same careless policy has been pursued. We have, then, a grain of comfort from the fact that it is not confined to us. In our own case the Fisheries Commissioners have repeatedly called attention to the need for certain legislative reform in connection with our oysteries. They assert, in fact, that " it is absolutely imperative that our oyster " beds and deposits must be regulated on quite a different " system to that which obtains under the existing law."