- Division of Marine Fisheries
The Belding Award was created in 1989 to honor individuals for their remarkable dedication to promoting the conservation and sustainable use of the Commonwealth’s marine resources. On March 19, 2026, at the annual meeting of the Massachusetts Shellfish Officers Association (MSOA), the Division of Marine Fisheries and the Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission presented the 2025 Belding Award to Henry Lind of Eastham.
Throughout his career, Henry worked as a Conservation Agent, Shellfish Constable, Harbormaster, and Natural Resources Director for the Town of Eastham. Through these roles, he contributed to advancing diadromous fish passage and shellfish propagation and helped the local shellfish industry navigate harmful algal blooms. He was also a founding member of the MSOA—a nonprofit educational and professional organization dedicated to promoting and enhancing the welfare of the shellfisheries for the Commonwealth. Even in retirement, Henry has worked to advance and support the mission of the MSOA and has been a principal force in the recent development of a modern and accessible training course for shellfish constables through Cape Cod Community College (read more about these upgrades in our newsletter article).
It was fitting to present the Belding Award to Henry at this year’s MSOA annual meeting. It allowed DMF to recognize Henry’s contributions to the state’s marine resources in front of his peers, his proteges, and the organization that he founded. Additionally, it fittingly linked Henry’s meaningful legacy in marine biology to that of the award’s namesake, Dr. David Belding. During the first half of the 20th Century, Dr. Belding simultaneously conducted two distinguished careers, one in medicine and one in marine biology. Belding’s work regarding local shellfish populations have been historically and continuously referenced, informing Henry’s own work in shellfish fisheries, and remain relevant to this day.
By Jared Silva, Senior Policy Analyst
