in each month from my other duties for the
work. I shall then require to run over the whole district again, as a
considerable quantity of new ground has been taken up in the different
sections since first survey, owing to the heavy falls of spat which have
since taken place, portions of which ground previously never carried an
oyster. During the past year large quantities of spat have fallen on the
oyster banks in Hervey Bay and Great Sandy Strait, some of the banks
being literally covered, thus preventing the shipment of good marketable
oysters, which, if removed in their present state, would cause the
destruction of all the young oysters attached to them.

Great attention has been paid by the different licensees to the
cultivation of their banks by removing the poor oysters from the high
ridges, after being carefully culled and separated into clumps
containing from three to four oysters, are deposited on the grass flat
and lower ground lying near. Upwards of 4,000 bags have been treated in
this manner with excellent results.

Over 9,000 bags of marketable oysters, at a rough value of 30s. per bag
(L13,500), have been shipped during the past year by the different
licensees to the various markets of the colonies. Messrs. Leftwich and
Sons alone have sent over 3,500 bags; the Moreton Bay Oyster Company and
Messrs. Perry and Griffin have also shipped large quantities of oysters
for the purpose of cultivating the Moreton Bay banks.

In conclusion, I am pleased to state that the whole business throughout
is in a flourishing condition and steadily increasing in magnitude, and
I feel confident that the revenue received from this industry for the
following year will reach four figures.

FISHERIES.

There have been large quantities of mullet in this district during the
season which commences when the westerly winds set in, generally about
the end of May and ending about August, when they come close in to the
shore to spawn. Crabs are also plentiful.

I do not think that a close season is at all necessary at this port, as
there are so few persons engaged in the traffic.

Licenses have been issued at this port for the year ending 30th June,
1891, to 6 Europeans and 4 Chinese; also 6 boats.

I have, &c.,
EDWD. J. BOULT,
Inspector of Fisheries.

The Chairman, Marine Board, Brisbane.

SCHEDULE RESPECTING OYSTER FISHERIES, MARYBOROUGH.

Period. Banks. Boats. Me