1913] Address of President X. A. S. Com. 55 



cause each of these classes of people to realize that the shellfish 

 do uot belong to the individual but to the state, and, therefore, 

 the state has a right to insist uj)on their j^rotection and perpetu- 

 ation. 



The iSTational Association of Shellfish Commissioners is try- 

 ing to bring together the best information obtainable regarding 

 the problems suggested above ; and they are holding conventions 

 to discuss these problems and work out, if possible, a plan 

 which will eventually solve them. The information at our con- 

 ventions has been of very great assistance to the commissioners 

 of the various state, and is being utilized by them for the good 

 of the industry. 



Some states are better equipped than others for carrying on 

 experimental work in connection with certain problems, and, al- 

 though the results of their experiments are of peculiar value to 

 that state, yet they are of great value to all who are interested 

 in the same or similar problems to those that have been investi- 

 gated. Our Association should be and is a clearing house 

 through which each State Commission can obtain the benefit of 

 the results obtained by the others. 



The discussions that have taken place at our previous con- 

 ventions on such subjects as: 



The leasing vs. the sale of sea bottoms for oyster and clam 

 cultivation ; 



The method and rate of taxation of oyster and clam bottoms ; 



The pollution of oyster bottoms ; 

 have all 'been of very great interest, and the fervor and earnest- 

 ness with which the delegates to the convntion entered into the 

 discussion resulted in the co-ordination of our ideas and theories, 

 and emphasized the value of co-operation. 



We sometimes become impatient at the length of time re- 

 quired to have our ideas, suggestions and recommendations put 

 into practice by our state legislators, and we wonder why they 

 can be so igTiorant on such an important subject, as the ^'Shell- 

 fish Industry." Yet we cannot expect them to be very familiar 

 with a subject that has taken us years to understand and realize 

 its great value. What we do, however, have a right to become 

 impatient over is the often apparent unwillingness of our legis- 



