Belding Society Membership

​Belding, a shellfish biologist and medical doctor originally from New York, accepted a job in 1905 with what was then known as The Massachusetts Commissioners of Fisheries and Game after his graduation from Williams College. His role was to conduct studies of commercial shellfisheries in the Commonwealth, for which he ended up spending extensive amounts of time in Wellfleet studying oysters and their spat.

His meticulous scientific process, including surveys of the natural oyster set, observations on the spacing and larvae in the water and experiments with spat collectors in different parts of the bay, provided the town of Wellfleet invaluable information to allow it to enhance and protect its natural oyster fishery. Almost more importantly, his work ushered in a century of purposeful aquaculture in Wellfleet, resulting in today’s robust and sustainable system of grants, licensing, propagation and management.