Conservation Commission. 59 



the most important trout station in the State; but at the present 

 time its efficiency is sadly impaired by drainage from outhouses, 

 manure heaps, etc. The station at Bath was in a similar condi- 

 tion until we changed the water supply entirely, and since that 

 improvement the hatchery has become one of the finest in the 

 State. 



ISTew York has nearly 400 species of fish in its waters, more than 

 one-half of which are marine. Unfortunately there has not been 

 a zoological survey, so far as relates to inland waters, for a half 

 century or longer, and we are not in possession of such practical 

 knowledge of our aquatic resources as we should have. 



In transmitting the report of the Superintendent of Marine 

 Fisheries I beg to call attention to the growing importance and 

 great possibilities of this Bureau and to emphasize the necessity 

 of suitable legislation if its resources are to be developed to any- 

 thing approaching their limit. 



The State in the past has given away, for little or no compensa- 

 tion, to individuals by grants in perpetuity, and has ceded to towns 

 and counties on Long Island thousands of acres of its most valu- 

 able shellfish lands. It was not until 1908 that the first genuine 

 advance was made giving recognition to the economic value of our 

 marine fisheries. By franchises the State has thus disposed of 

 about 16,000 acres while the acreage under lease is slightly less. 

 About 70,000 acres are under local jurisdiction exclusively, paying 

 no revenue to the State. Most of the lands leased pay an annual 

 rental of $2 per acre, and the present law provides a uniform an- 

 nual tax of twenty-five cents per acre. From these two sources a 

 total revenue of $20,583.90 was received for the fiscal year. Con- 

 trast this with the fact that the State of Ehode Island with about 

 17,000 acres under lease derives an annual revenue of $133,000 

 therefrom and it becomes obvious, the extent to which the .State 

 has been wronged through unwise shellfish legislation. The ill- 

 advised character of the present system of taxation by which a 

 tax of twenty-five cents per acre is levied upon all shellfish 

 lands regardless of value or productivity has been called to 

 public attention so many times as to make mention of it here super- 

 fluous. There unquestionably is a strong difference of opinion 

 concerning the proper method of taxing shellfish lands. This 

 State should adopt either a system of assessment for these lands 



