PUBLIC DOCUMENT No. 25. 9 



of years, on terms which should insure to every citizen a just 

 opportunity to share in these natural resources, and inasmuch 

 as this is a public right, the moneys derived from rentals should 

 go into the State treasury. 



Our flats produce many varieties of food and bait mollusks, 

 and certain foreign species may be introduced to great advan- 

 tage. Waiving the possible difference of opinion as to what 

 constitutes a natural bed of mollusks, we are entirely justified 

 in saying that there no longer exists in Massachusetts waters a 

 really productive natural bed of any species of food mollusks the 

 yield of which could not be enormously increased under well- 

 managed artificial cultivation. If all areas under water should 

 be utilized ultimately to the highest degree possible, a very 

 appreciable contribution would be made toward decreasing the 

 cost of living. 



The most prominent changes during the past three years have 

 been in the clam, oyster and quahaug fisheries. Commercial 

 clam culture has been started on a relatively large scale at 

 Plymouth and Barnstable, with extremely satisfactory results. 

 The development of the oyster business has increased, while a 

 bed of quahaugs has been discovered off Nantucket, where this 

 mollusk is taken by dredging. However, owing to the inade- 

 quate facilities for distribution, the yield has locally reduced 

 the price of quahaugs, to the benefit of a few near-by consumers 

 and to the disappointment of the fishermen. 



Lobster Fishery. - - The decline of the lobster fishery still con- 

 tinues in spite of the purchase of egg lobsters, and if the lobster 

 is to be saved it is evident that additional measures must be 

 imposed, not only by the State but by the Federal government. 

 It is a pleasure to report that the Massachusetts lobstermen are 

 attempting to preserve the fishery by forming associations, the 

 principal aim of which is to return "eggers" and "shorts" and 

 to set apart portions of the fishing grounds as refuges, where, 

 by mutual agreement, no fishing is allowed. The chief neces- 

 sity is a greater annual production of eggs and their devel- 

 opment to lobsters of marketable and breeding size. Our 

 suggestions, which comprise added protection to adults and 

 young below the optimum marketable size, measurement on the 

 carapace, licensing of fishermen and dealers as a means for 



