tion initiated in 1960 in which the State began using the millions
of bushels of submerged old oyster shells as cultch material for young
oysters. Prior to that time, as we know, there was not a sufficient
amount of shell available from shucking houses to provide the cultch
that was needed for State seed areas and the natural bars. But from
1961 through the spring of this year, as a result of the use of the old
submerged shells, plantings in seed areas and on natural bars has
amounted to approximately 5 million bushels of reef shell each year.
And, as Mr. Sieling put it in his report: "Now, the slow process from
careful planting to managed harvest is beginning to pay off. "

You may recall that this was a prediction I made in previous talks
at the annual dinners of this Association. In my remarks to you a
year ago, I said I thought that we had "every reason to believe that
the bold program which we initiated... is beginning to produce
dividends — that the future of oyster production is bright. " The re-
ports which we are receiving on the catch this season indicate that
this was not just wishful thinking — that our program of rehabilitation
is indeed paying off.

I know, of course, that the interest of this Association, and its mem-
bers, is not just with the oyster yield, although oysters do contribute
well over half of the total value of Maryland's seafood catch. It can
be said that comparable gains are being made in the catch of crabs,
clams and finfish. The truly remarkable increase during the past
decade in clam landings had been a source of amazement to those
of us who have observed the progress of the seafood industry over a
period of many years. Last year, I am advised, some 600, 000 bushels
of clams were caught and marketed. In terms of dollar value, that
represents nearly 20 per cent of the total value of our seafood catch.
But as someone said to me the other day, in discussing the increases
in the shellfish yield: "Our problem now is to sell what we catch. "
This is where your role, as an organization and as individuals, be-
comes important. The promotion of bigger market for our seafood
products is essential to the healthy growth of your industry.

As I have said to you before, I consider any program to strengthen
the seafood industry in Maryland to be a cooperative effort of govern-
ment, on the one hand, and, on the other, of the industry itself —
the longers, the dredgers, the crabbers, the clammers, the shuckers, the
packers, the dealers and all others engaged in the production and mark-
eting of seafood. Your State government acknowledges its responsibili-
ties in this field. Our Department of Chesapeake Bay Affairs, the
Department of Economic Development, the Natural Resources In-

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