The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-05-04
TAEOYSTERANO
CLAM INDUSTRY
OF THIS STATE
NEW DEPARTMENT CREATED BY
THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE
OF 1918 is DOING SOME GOOD
WORK IN VARIOUS SECTIONS
OF THE STATE.
BY W. c. HODGES.

Tallahassee, Fla, May 3.-When
department or state commission is
created by the legislature quite
naturally and very properly the peo-
pie want TO know and have a right
to know what progress that depart
ment or commission is making to &C
cOmpllsh the ends for which It was
created. If created for revenue and
conservation, then published state
ment of the revenue derived and the
interests conserved should be given
the public.
The Florida legislature Of 1918 en-
acted the present shell fish law with
the primary object of encouraging
protecting, regulating and developing
the shell fish industry of the state.
OF course the bill contemplated a
revenue to the state in time but it
was not expected that any considerable
amount would be realized above run
ming expenses for several years &C
count of the badly depleted condition
of the natural oyster and clam reefs,
which mad been raked and Scraped for
years by INSCRIPTIONS Oystermen
without regulation or hinderanCe.
The office of state shell fish COM
missioner was created by the enact
ment of this law, and upon my ap-
pOintment to this position by the gov
ernor, | undertook to re-establiSh the
industry by replanting the depleted
bars and by leasing out the water
bottoms of the state for the artificial
growth of oysters and CLAIMS. ] re-
allied very fully the gigantic under
taking as Florida has more coast line
than all the Atlantic coast states com
bined, and in order to cover the terri
tory fully by water, it took trip Of
over 1000 miles to accomplish this.
Since my appointment in July, 1913,
[ have Travelled over $4,000 miles about
5000 miles of which was covered by
water. During this period 1 have
worked increasingly, going over the
greater Portion of the coast line twice.
What Has Been Done.
We have established LAT oyster and
clam farms, covering 6,394 acres of
water bottom. beginning on the At
IantiC coast side at Fernandina on the
inland passage and continuing on
around to Pensacola on the gulf side.
These farms range from one to five
hundred acres and the leSSees are COM
posed of men of energy and means
who will grow oysters and CLAIMS. In
this we have accomplished the primary
object of the law.
Our source of revenue has been tax
alton of dealers, boats, collection of
two cent privilege tax and lease rental,
from which we have received a total
revenue to date of S11,023.72. Add to
this an appropriation Of $1,000 by the
Legislature, gives us a total deposit in
the state treasury Of $12,023.72. OF
this amount we have spent S10093.23
leaving balance in the state treasury
of $1,e34.49- We have paid over to
the state treasurer the sum of
S441.S5 IN fees and have aCCumuIa ted
the following property and credits
which is clear profit to the state above
running expenses:
Boats and tackle ......$ 2.96S 50
Office, fixtures, books and sta
uoneTE .--..-.-- .......... S89.96
Fees paid state of Florida go. 44IS5
RepIantins barren oyster bars $500
t4S426 col
Add to this cash now in state
treasury ......... .........$1.93o49
Gives total credit Of .$6,773.09
Deduct from this amount my
salary and expenses and
salary Of secretary (Which
IS paid by general appro-
priatioI) amounting to 49,. S3.716. SIS
Leaves a net gazing TO the state
above all expenses of $3, 056.43
On Business Basis.
Besides this financial gain the in
dustry is now firmly established on a
business basis, which is very salts
factory to the dealers and oystermen
generally.
Under the restrictions Of the law,
the state has enjoyed the best oyster
season 1t has for several years. 161, 1896
barrels of oysters and CLAIMS having
been taken from the waters of the state
during the past season. 120,21S bar