Edgartown shellfish constable Paul Bagnall has been named officer of the year by the Massachusetts Shellfish Officers Association.

While he had known of the news for months, he was presented with the award at a meeting of the Edgartown selectmen on Monday. The award was given for the year 2006.

A group of shellfish constables came over from the Cape to make the presentation.

J. Michael Hickey, senior fisheries biologist for the state Division of Marine Fisheries, helped officiate in the award presentation. Mr. Hickey later said Mr. Bagnall, 52, had distinguished himself for being a major advocate of shellfish restoration in his town.

“You look at his good work over the years in shellfish restoration, it goes back a long time,” said Mr. Hickey of Mr. Bagnall, who has been in the town department for 23 years.

“Paul was selected by his peers,” Mr. Hickey said.

There are 57 shellfish constables in the Commonwealth.

Gary Sherman, president of the officers association and the Westport shellfish constable, said Mr. Bagnall rises to the top for the many programs he has conducted in the interest of shellfish propagation, not only on the Island but as a model for on the Cape.

“Paul’s work on shellfish restoration is head and shoulders above all,” Mr. Sherman said. He also complimented Mr. Bagnall on his work within the association as a member of the board of directors.

“He works from the heart. He is a great guy,” Mr. Sherman said.

Mr. Bagnall was named this past March at a meeting of the shellfish officers association, but it wasn’t until this week that the two award plaques were presented. One plaque is given to the town and the other to the shellfish officer.

Mr. Sherman said he created the annual award in 2000 as an effort to bring more of the constables together and to honor their work which involves law enforcement, shellfish management, propagation and town politics.

Eastham natural resource officer Henry Lind was the prior recepient.

Rick Karney, director of the Martha’s Vineyard Shellfish Group, said this week he is pleased Mr. Bagnall received the recognition, the second time an Islander had received the award. Tisbury shellfish constable Derek Cimeno received the award for work he had done in 2004.

Mr. Karney said of Mr. Bagnall: “He is a real survivor. He is the senior Island constable. Paul has adapted to a lot of things. He handles the town issues. He gets involved.

“Plus, Paul has been president of the Martha’s Vineyard Shellfish Group for eons,” Mr. Karney said. “Beyond being a constable, he is a biologist.”

Mr. Bagnall, who said he was pleased by the award, said he has put his plaque on the mantel over his wood stove at home.