Identifier: annualreport101112190newy (find matches)
Title: Annual report
Year: 1902 (1900s)
Authors: New York (State). Forest, Fish and Game Commission
Subjects: Forests and forestry Fisheries Game and game-birds
Publisher: (Albany, N.Y. : The Commission)
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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ment in favor of it. There is nobetter game or food fish than the black bass. It seems to me very desira-ble that an appropriation should be made for hatching ponds for this pur-pose, and that the same be established at an early date. ai)eUfisf) The report of Mr. B. Frank Wood, Superintendent of Shellfisheries,which is submitted herewith, is very interesting and full of valuable infor-mation in relation to that important industry. A very large number ofacres of land under water belonging to the State have been leased to oysterplanters from time to time under the law providing for such leases, butalways at a very low rate per acre as the leasing must be done and is doneby advertisement and public sale. The present rate is about twenty-fivecents an acre on long term leases. In years gone by the Commission gavepsrpetual grants at a purely nominal sum. The property interests of the oyster planters have become very large.The total product in bushels and value is remarkable as compared with
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VENISON FOR SUPPER FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSIONER. 2$ only a short time ago, and in no way does the use of the land pay an adequateor reasonable return to the State. There seems to be no remedy for thissituation except by taxation. From necessity a shellfish department ismaintained by the State, which has charge and control of the lands, theleasing of the same, and the enforcement of the law on and about the watersof Long Island sound, adjacent bays, and the Hudson river. The cost ofmaintaining the department is not unreasonable; in fact, it is small. Yetthe revenues from the States property used for this business does notsupport the department, whereas it should not only pay the cost of itssupervision, but should in addition yield to the State a large revenue. Some idea of the extent, importance and value of the shellfishindustry may be obtained by the mere statement of the fact that the totalyearly production, based upon such reports as are obtainable, has an indi-cated value of

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