FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSIONER. 279 



to part with such lands in perpetuity, except in certain localities where local 

 authorities have by legislative action been empowered to deal with lands 

 under water; it will, therefore, be appreciated that the recovery by the 

 State of lands which had formerly been so granted is a distinct gain. The 

 assignment to the State of these old grants has been brought about by the 

 enforcement of a nominal tax amounting to twenty-five cents per acre 

 which has been uniformly assessed upon all lands under water used for shell- 

 fish cultivation excepting in certain exempted localities. 



(c) By assignment between individual holders. The old franchises were 

 by statutes made personal property and have been transferred from owner 

 to owner with all the freedom usually attendent upon personal property 

 sales, nonresidents in this respect standing upon the same basis as our own 

 citizens. Leases for terms of years, however, are issued to citizens of the 

 State only and may be assigned in whole or in part only to those who might 

 have been originally lessees. Such assignments are subject to the approval 

 of the Commissioner and when made must be recorded in the office of the 

 Superintendent of Marine Fisheries. Records of this character and copies 

 of such records, when duly certified, are admitted in evidence in any action 

 or proceeding, civil or criminal, in which they are material. During the 

 year three hundred and one such assignments have been recorded in the 

 Bureau of Marine Fisheries. 



3. Revenue Derived. 



The principal revenues of the bureau are obtained from rentals and 

 taxes. To a less degree there are receipts from recording and license fees. 

 Itemized statements covering all the details of office receipts are rendered 

 every month to the Commission and are always available from the books 

 and files of the Department. They are of too voluminous a character for 

 insertion in this report, which is intended to summarize rather than to 

 itemize the business of the year. 



(d) What may be done to increase the revenues. It is considered that 

 the present minimum annual rate of two dollars per annum per acre rental, 

 at which leases of lands under water are now being made, is for the present 

 at least a sufficient charge upon the industry. Especially is this the case 

 when it is remembered that in addition to this rental such lands are subjected 



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