A BEPORT UPON THE SCALLOP FISHERY OF 

 MASSACHUSETTS, 



The bays, estuaries and tidal flats of New England are prac- 

 tically undeveloped as sources of food. The demands and con- 

 ditions of an increased population, far surpassing the dreams 

 of the framers of the colonial laws, have in a very great degree 

 destroyed the delicately adjusted balance of animal life in these 

 waters, and left us only a comparatively barren waste, governed 

 by laws far out of tune with the changed conditions. The waters 

 are capable of producing for man as much " sea food " as for- 

 merly, possibly more, but certainly an enormous increase over 

 present supply if the laws could be so amended as to permit the 

 cultivation of the bays and shores to the full capacity, after the 

 scientific agricultural methods already adopted for increasing 

 the yield of the land. 



It is a well-established law of economics that increased popu- 

 lation increases the demand for food, with consequent higher 

 prices. These higher prices tend to spread to well nigh every 

 branch of living expenses. The fundamental method of check- 

 ing this undue increase is to increase the supply. We have 

 learned to do this in the case of corn, potatoes, wheat and other 

 agricultural staples, and (apart from uneconomic and often 

 harmful manipulation of prices by speculators) the increased 

 demand brings forth an increased supply. With the supply of 

 game, lobsters, fish, clams, scallops, etc., however, we apply the 

 absurd practice of limiting the demand by restrictive legisla- 

 tion, e.g., close season, size limit, limits upon time of catching 

 or upon quantities to be taken each day, etc., rather than seeking 

 to augment the supply. If the demand for corn or potatoes 

 tends to higher prices, the logical remedy is the production of 



