interest in seafood and things related to seafood. And so, long before I
was elected I was resolved that if I ever became Governor I would do as
much as possible to improve the industry in my State.

I have been asked to speak to you today on the future of the seafood
industry in Maryland. In pondering the future of the seafood industry,
it is well to remember the old adage about a prophet being without
honor. This is true, in particular, when we consider the uncertain-
ties of this particular industry. For in the seafood industry, there are so
many imponderables and unforeseeable forces that, despite all the pre-
cautions we may take, any one effort we may make to build construc-
tively may prove to be futile. What we can, and must, do is to assess
the facts at hand, and, using them as a background, take action and
pray for the best.

The history of the shellfish industry in Maryland and Virginia, as we
know it from the records, goes back 140 years or more. Huge piles of
shells found on our shore lines indicate that long before that oysters com-
prised a substantial part of the food supply of the American Indian
population. As early as 1825, oysters were taken from the Chesapeake
Bay to New England to be planted along the southern coast of that
region. In fact, it may be stated that oysters from Maryland and Vir-
ginia, schooner load after schooner load plying their way from our
waters northward, replenished the beds of Rhode Island and Connecti-
cut. It is said, also, that the industry in Delaware owes much to brood
stock from the Chesapeake.

The Chesapeake Bay has achieved a reputation for being the richest
oyster producing body of water in the world. So far as I know, no facts
have yet been produced to refute that statement.

Available records of the period indicate that in the 1880's the pro-
duction of oysters reached an annual total of 12 to 15 million bushels.
Sadly—and almost inexplicably—the total production in Maryland last
year declined to the lowest point in history—less than 2 million bushels.

We have here in Maryland witnessed a gradual decline in the produc-
tion of oysters. This pathetic decimation of a resource so important to
the economic life of our State was apparent to everyone. And yet, no
successful solution has been found to halt it.

What then, are the reasons for this decline? Why should a great
economic resource, comprising one of the most nutritious of our foods,
become so depleted? What can we do to halt the impoverishment and
restore the productivity of our oyster bottoms?

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