fluctuated (.Figure 3), but has remained only slightly greater than 100,000 

 pounds o Some improvement in natural setting has occurred since 1970, and 

 moderate increases in production under existing conditions have been obtained 

 with modern methods of intensive oyster culturco 



As an alternative to natural sets that are subject to natural 

 fluctuations in success and abundance, several companies have constructed 

 hatcheries in which adult oysters are induced to spawn, and then the larvae 

 are reared and set under controlled conditions. Raft rearing of oysters to 

 maturity has not yet been successfully accomplished in Long Island Sound due to 

 difficulties with weather, economics, and certain legal problems associated 

 with leasing procedures. If economically successful, raft culture could be 

 a method for increasing oyster production. 



Studies are now being done on improving the genetic stock of the 

 oyster. Genetically induced changes resulting in increased size or reduced 

 period of commercial growth are now possible, as are increased ranges of tolerance 

 to environmental factors, enhanced ability of larvae to set under adverse con- 

 ditions, and improved resistence to disease. For these improvements and natural 

 population stability, it is now thought essential to have adequate wild stocks 

 of oysters for any cultured or intensively-grown crop. Wild stocks constitute 

 a valuable and irreplaceable source of genetic variability for a culture popu- 

 lation of animals or plants. 



Of shellfish other than oysters, hard clams are historically the 

 more important species. From the 1930's through the I960's annual production 

 of clams in Connecticut ranged between 10,000 and 470,000 pounds with a value 

 from $4,000 to $76,000.. In New York waters of Long Island Sound, during the 

 1960's, the harvest rose as high as 926,000 pounds valued at $815,000o Recent 

 data show a decline in hard clam landings but the value of hard clams has 

 continued to rise (Figure 4) o Cultivation of hard clams is now being tried at 

 shellfish hatcheries under controlled conditions. 



Shellf isheries for scallops and soft clams have declined to the 

 point of little importance commercially., Both shellf isheries could improve 

 with improved water quality and new management programso Culture of scallops 

 may be a possibility. Commercial landings of mussels and conch (Table 6) have 

 shown a rise in 1970, even though this is small in relation to other shellf isheries. 



The Connecticut Department of Agriculture, Aquaculture Division, 

 and the New York Department of Environmental Conservation are responsible for 

 the administration and management of state-owned public shellfish grounds. 

 New York State grants leases for about 2,000 acres on the north shore of Long 

 Island and another 4,300 acres are leased by the towns of Oyster Bay and 

 Huntington. Connecticut State controls about 27, 000 acres which are under 

 lease or franchise. The total number of town-leased beds in Connecticut 

 is approximately 2,400 acres. 



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