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83
PUBLIC HEALTH (SHELLFISH) REGULATIONS, 1915.
The Shellfish layings in the River Thames and within the jurisdiction of the
Port of London Sanitary Authority, range on the south from the Blythe Sands to
just beyond King's Ferry Bridge up the River Swale, the whole of the coast line as
far as Sheerness and up the River Medway and West Swale, affording feed and foothold
for winkles and oysters. Oyster culture, however, is only undertaken in one
place, namely Coalmouth Creek, opening into the River Medway. Here, there is
one private laying for oysters. On the east bank of the River Medway, from
Sheerness to Stangate Spit, there are two stretches of land, namely, the Lappell
from Sheerness to Queenboro' Pier and the sand between Queenboro' Spit and
Stangate Spit which afford oysters and oyster spat. The proximity of Sheerness
and Queenboro' render these "public layings" unfit fishing grounds, especially
the Lappell. Spat and oysters are taken from these grounds for culture and
relaying in beds outside the jurisdiction.
The northern coast line of the Island of Sheppey between Sheerness and Warden
Point does not afford suitable foot-hold for shellfish, the nature of the cliff permitting
of erosion and the foreshore being either of mud or shingle; this is in contradistinction
to the sands which occur along the Island of Grain and the Hundred of
Hoo, as also the Leysdown district in the Isle of Sheppey, where the land behind the
coast is flat and erosion does not take place.
The East Swale from its proximity to Queenboro' and the flow of the tide over
the Lappell is unfit as a ground for collection of shellfish for direct sale to the
public. Collection of shellfish for relaying goes on in the West Swale.
On the northern side of the estuary, the shore from Holehaven to Havengore
Creek is suitable ground for the growth of shellfish, but is deemed polluted from the
Chapman Lighthouse to well beyond Shoeburyness, owing to the large and increasing
townships of Southend and Leigh and Shoeburyness. From west to east
are included the Chapman Sands, the Bargander Sands, Benfleet Creek, Hadleigh
Ray, Leigh Sands, Marshend Sands, Southend Flat, Shoebury Sands and the
extreme eastern end of the Maplins.
Two private shellfish grounds, one to the east of Southend and another in the
large "public laying" at Shoeburyness, exist on the north; both of these come
under orders issued by the Port of London Sanitary Authority dated 16th November,
1916, and shellfish are not collected from them for direct sale, though oyster
spat and oysters are collected for culture. Similar collection takes place from
Southend flat. The whole district from the Chapman Lighthouse to Shoeburyness
and further towards the Maplin Sands is under two prohibition orders or private
undertakings.
Cockles are collected from the whole of the said area and sterilized before
distribution for sale, mostly at Leigh. Relaying grounds in use for the Southend
and Shoebury district lie in the Rivers Roach and Crouch.
I have not been informed of any case of Enteric Fever attributable to shellfish
in the Southend district. In the Sheerness district I am informed that seven
cases of Enteric Fever have occurred during the past year but in no case traceable
to shellfish.
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.
In the matter of the undeclared typhoid on ss. "Mackinaw," and undeclared
chickenpox, which afterwards proved to be smallpox, on ss. "Newlands" during
1922, the Magistrates at Gravesend Police Court, on the 22nd February, took a
severe view in both cases.
The then master of the "Mackinaw" was fined £10 and costs, while the then
master of the " Newlands " was fined £50 and costs.
This secures a satisfactory advertisement all around the coast that incoming
ships must declare all cases of illness, irrespective of the opinion of the master as
to whether the disease is of importance or is negligible.