58 THE MOLLUSK FISHERIES 



Edgartown. 



The finest " little neck " fishery in Massachusetts is found in Katama 

 Bay, in the town of Edgartown. Two-fifths of the entire catch are 

 " little necks." The most productive grounds are situated in the lower 

 part of Katama Bay, while quahaugs are also found in Edgartown 

 harbor and in Cape Poge Pond, the total area of these localities com- 

 prising 1,800 acres. 



The fishing is mostly done from power dories or sail boats with 

 basket rakes. Poles from 20 to 25 feet long are used, as the water over 

 the beds is less than 20 feet deep. Some quahaugs are taken in the 

 shallow water with small claw rakes. The catch is shipped to the New 

 York and Boston markets. 



The quahaug industry of Edgartown is the best-regulated shellfish 

 industry in Massachusetts. If excellent care had not been taken of the 

 " little neck " fishery of Katama Bay by enforcing a size limit of lYz 

 inches, through the employment of a special shellfish warden, the qua- 

 haug fishery of Edgartown would have been ruined long ago by the 

 exportation of small " seed " quahaugs. To-day the number of small 

 quahaugs which are returned to the water greatly exceeds the amount 

 of marketable quahaugs taken. This is the only case in Massachusetts 

 where the quahaug fishery, by careful regulations of the town, has 

 maintained an undiminished supply. If other towns had taken similar 

 care of their quahaug fisheries in the past, the general decline of the 

 industry in this State would never have become so serious. 



The following is a copy of the shellfish permit, which every Edgar- 

 town quahauger is required to take out, at the cost of $2, before he 

 can rake quahaugs for market. Any man over sixty years old obtains 

 his permit free. This permit should serve as a model for other towns. 



Shellfish Peemit. 

 Town of Edgabtown, Selectmen's Office, 190 . 



In consideration q;f having received from of Edgartown the 



sum of $2, permission is hereby granted to him to take from any of the 

 waters of this town daily, between sunrise and sunset, twenty-five bushels of 

 scallops or clams, including shells, and four bushels, including shells, of 

 quahaugs; of these four bushels, not more than two bushels are to be of the 

 size known as " little necks." 



The acceptance of this permit constitutes an agreement by the holder 

 thereof that he will, and that any other person who for the time being has 

 or shall have in his custody or possession any building, boat, barrel, box, tub, 

 crate or other vessel or receptacle containing or suitable for or capable of 

 containing shellfish, and belonging to or under the control of the holder 

 of this permit, shall, at any time or place when requested so to do by either 

 of said selectmen or by their authorized agent, or by any constable or fish 

 warden of said town, or by any other ofScer authorized to enforce the laws 

 relating to shellfish or shellfisheries in said town, open any such building. 



