PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION
ADDRESSES DELIVERED
AT THE CONVENTION OF THE
NATIONAL SHELLFISHERIES
ASSOCIATION
Old Point Comfort, Virginia
June 7-8-9, 1949,
eK 2 RICK
Driv victor Te_qhoosanofr,
President
James B, Engle,
Secretary
Dr, J,Nelson Gowanloch,
Vice President,
David H, Wallace,
Treasurer,
= Sa Le
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1949 Addresses
Ete
What Can Science Offer the Oyster Grower,
Dr, ThurlowsesiNetson
Varying Characteristics of Oyster Bottoms,
Aidan hy Soimers
Variations in Intensity of Setting of Oysters
in’ Long Island Sound,
Dr, Victor b,, Loosanort
Plans and Progress of Oyster Investigations
in Florida,
Robert MZ “ingle
Invensity and Distribution of Oyster socusin
Chesapeake Bay and Tributaries,
Fred W, Sieling
On the Culture of Oyster Larvae in the
Laboratory,
Harry C, Davis
The Oyster Industry of North Carolina and
Some of Its Problems,
Dr A.W fo Chestnut
Growth Observations of Oysters Held on Trays
at Solomons Island, Md,
G. Francis Beaven
Fish and Wildlife Service Clam Investigations,
John B, Glud
The Spawning of Quahangs in Winter and Culture
of Their Larvae in the Laboratory, ~
Dr, Victor L. Loosanorf and Harry C, Davis,
Growth Studies in the Quahaugs, Venus mercenaria
Dr, Harold H, Haskin
Practical Problems of the Propagation of the
Soft Shell Clam, Mya arenaria,
Hasny Oeelurmer adi.
A Study of Duck Farm Pollution of a Shellfish
Area F;
Dr. M, H, Bidwell and C, B, Kelly.
Prelimimry Observations on the Predation of
Commercial Shellfish by Conchs,
Dr, Melbourne R, Carriker
Toxic Effects of Oil Mixed with Carbonized Sand
on Aquatic Animals,
14
20
28
33
39
43
ni
58
67
76
78
86 (
93
Dr, Walter A, Chipman, Jr., & Dr. Paul S, Galtsoff,
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"WHAT CAN SCIENCE OFFER THE OYSTER GROWER"
Thurow “C, “Neison, Chn wD; iD se.
Professor of Zoology, Rutgers University,
Biologist, New Jersey State
Division of-Shellfisheries,
In Charge, New Jersey
Oyster Research Laboratory,
INTRODUCTION
As we gather here today on the shores of historic
Chesapeake Bay to discuss the problems of the great shell-~
fish industry I am deeply conscious of the debt we owe to
this area, It was here in Chesapeake Bay that the great
biologist, the late Dr, William Keith Brooks of the Johns
Hopkins University, undertook the first studies of the
oyster in America, In 1878 he organized the Chesapeake
Zoological Laboratory and during the following twenty-
eight years during warm weather he was always at the
seashore accompanied by a party of students, In keeping
with the early traditions of the Johns Hopkins, the
available money was mostly put into brains, not into
buildings and boats, Starting with a vacant warehouse
at Fort Wool* and three rowboats furnished by the Secre-
tary of War, the group moved the next year into three
barges of the Maryland Fish Commission at Crisfield,
Maryland, In 1883 the laboratory was located in a build-
ing leased from the Normal School in Hampton, Virginia,
but a few moments drive from where we are now gathered,
Thus we meet today in the very heart and home of
oyster research in America, May we pause for a moment to
pay tribute to this great scientist, As Chairman of the
Maryland Oyster Commission Dr, Brooks submitted to the
General Assembly of Maryland in 1884 a comprehensive re-
port on "The Development and Protection of the Oyster in
Maryland." If his recommendations had been followed there
would be only one oyster problem for Chesapeake Bay today;
where to find markets for the vast numbers of oysters pro-
duced on the prolific reefs of this area,
Of greater value to the country as a whole, however,
has been the legacy Dr. Brooks left us in his students:
Dr, James L, Kellogg long of Williams College Massachuset-~
ts whose work on molluscs has yet to be surpassed and
whose student, David Belding, made such substantial con-
tributions to the oyster, quahaug and scallop fisheries
of Massachusetts, Dr, Caswell Grave for some years bio-
logist of the Maryland Oyster Commission whose student,
Dr, E, P. Churchill initiated the program of research on
oyster larvae of the Fish and Wildlife Service, ‘tastly
the even greater work and influence of my father, the late
Dr, Julius Nelson at Rutgers, who lives on not only in
your speaker but in William H, Dumont and in Jim Engle of
the Fish and Wildlife Service, in Dr. C. A. Perry of the
Maryland State Department of Health and Dr, C. Roy Elsey
(-1-)
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In Delaware Bay we have indirect evidence that in
some seasons vast numbers of oyster larvae may be carri-
ed upstream as much as fifteen miles from the planting
grounds to set on the natural beds above,
Where spawning sanctuaries have been set up we
have repeatedly found much heavier sets up and down~
stream from the parent oysters, This would seem to
support Prytherch's findings at Milford that larvae re-
main close to their parents throughout the entire two
weeks larval period, Another explanation, however, is
possible, In 1921 I described and pictured 62 mature
oyster larvae ready to set from the stomach of an adult
oyster, Such larvae do not remain long in the digestive
tract of the adult oyster, but are quickly carried out
of the intestine, On emerging from their accidental
prison they have frequently been seen to push out foot
and velum and to swim away, Two years ago a group of
large oysters were brought to Surf City, Barnegat Bay,
from a distance of some eight miles, Less than two
weeks later a heavy set approximately two weeks old
was found on the oysters themselves and upon nearby
gravel, There were no parent oysters in the area save
a couple of bushels of small oysters in trays, The
heavy set, confined to the shells of the large oysters
and the gravel all within a few feet strongly suggests
that ,there were larvae in the guts of the big oysters
oysters liberated their load of captured young which
promptly set in the immediate neighborhood. With
hundreds of thousands cf oysters each pumping twenty,
thirty or more quarts of water an hour vast numbers of
oyster larvae must be captured and subsequently liber-
ated, Absence of such capture by the adults may well
be an important factor in the failure of-a depleted
oyster bed to rehabilitate itself. It deserves much
further study. Here is a field where radioactive
tracer.elements can be used to great advantage,
After twenty years experience on the Cape May
shore of Delaware Bay we can give you the following
as definite facts, During eighteen of these twenty
years intensely heavy sets of oysters have occurred
upon the flats within a few feet of our laboratory.
Setting has taken place continuously night and day
for from four to as much as ten weeks as determined
from shells placed and removed each 24 hours, As
high as 600 spat per concave surface of a quahaug
shell have struck within a single 24-hour period,
with over 100 ver shell each 2+ hour period for more
than two weeks. Since the flats run bare each lo
tide to a distance of 2500 feet, the larvae must be
carried at least that distance with each flood tide,
The only oysters seaward from our laboratory are on
a small depleted natural bed -- the Drum Beds im the
public quahaug area, We are forced to conclude there-
fore, that the bulk of these larvae are produced on the
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planted beds above us and are carried seaward during
early development, By successively sinking on the
ebb and rising on the flood they return to ow New
Jersey shore, Due to the effects of the rotation
of the earth they are carried tovard the Delaware
shore during ebb tide while being borne toward the
New Jersey side as the tide swings to the right with
the flood.
Outside the bar, situated some 3000 feet from
the high water mark, and in 14 to 20 feet of water
are hundreds of acres of oyster bottom which have
been heavily shelled year after year. In the main
these shells have caught fewer spat in an entire
summer than attach to similar shells in one tide
close to the shore, It is evident therefore that
with each flood tide these larvae by countless bil-
lions pass by these shells to attach to shells in
shoal water on the flats, We have had excellent
success moving such heavily set shells offshore in-
to deeper water when the oldest are but 10 days of
age,
It is my opinion that no more important pro-
blem faces the Chesapeake Bay area than to deter-
mine the role of parent oysters in capturing their
young and finding out how far the larvae ere
carried, Here is a field in which radioactive’
tracer elements or even staining as used by Dr,
Loosanoff could be employed to great advantage,
It is understood that Dr, Chipman has recently
completed the training required in handling radio~
active elements, May I urgently recommend the
cine of oyster larvae for his early considera-
ion,
2. Oyster enemies
Much has been learned about the enemies of the
oyster but so far scienee has yet to give us methods
for the control of oyster enemies comparable to those
developed for the eradication of insect pests, for
example, Since boring snails are also molluscs,
breathing through gills, they are so close to the
oyster that it is very doubtful if any method of
poisoning them can be found which will not harm
the oysters or render them unfit for human food,
The plan to kill oyster drills through corrosive
sublimate, or bichloride of mercury, as recently
proposed appears highly dangerous through the
habit of the oyster loading up with heavy metals
such as zinc, bismuth, lead, mercury or copper
whenever these occur in appreciable quantities
in the surrounding waters,
The six year study of the oyster drill,
Urosalpinx, carried on by Dr. L; "A. Stauber at
our laboratory with the aid of W, P, A. and P.\/.A.
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place among the states with a production of one seventh
of the total oyster crop of the United States,
With the onset of the depression new grounds were
not taken up, three of the driest years of record plus
a hurricane Look their heavy toll, with drills and the
mud worm, Polydora, reducing the oyster crop by approxi~
mately one half, New Jersey slipped back into fifth
place among the states, Return to our former position
can only be accomplished through vigorous control of
oyster pests; especially the drill.
3, Favorable growing and fattening grounds
Here science has been of little help; the oyster
grower has had to depend almost wholly upon his own
experience and that of others, We do not yet lmow
why oysters grow well on some grounds, poorly on ad-
joining grounds. Even on the same ground, as every
oyster grower well knows, growth and fattening may be
good one year, poor the next, Much scientific work
has been done in this field but as yet there is little
that science can tell you of practical value, From
our experience in New Jersey we know that when the
diatom Skeletonema is abundant we have had fat oysters
of excellent flavor, We have seen oysters increase in
yield almost a pint per bushel in one week following
a heavy invasion of this diatom, When associated with
objectionable forms such as the "gremlin" Bicoeca in
Great South Bay in 1943 oysters may remain thin and
poor even in the presence of abundant Skeletonema,
Our experience in New Jersey does not support the
conclusion of Dr, Loosanoff and his coworkers that oysters
in nature will not feed'in the presence of thick suspen-
sions of food organisms, We have found oysters to feed
actively throughout dense swarming of the dinoflagellate
Amphidinium fusiforme, when the water had turned red and
was a veritable soup of these algae and of their
zobspores, Since Dr, Loosanoff's observations were made
under laboratory conditions while ours were made in the
open waters of Delaware Bay it is probable that poison-
ous substances produced by the algae at Milforg were
either not present in Delaware Bay or were quickly des-
troyed in our open waters, I have to be shown before I
will believe that oysters will starve and die in nature in
the midst of abundant food,
4, Protection from industrial and domestic pollution
Although in the past some oyster grovers have looked
upon bacteriologists as their worst enemies, we must all
agree that in the main sanitary standards have aided and
protected the industry, It is encouraging to find the
United States Public Health Service now engaged in active
research looking toward new techniques for identifying
objectionable bacteria and to sounder more reliable
methods of determing the sanitary quality of shellfish.
(7)
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Federal and state attack on aquatic pollution is being
actively pushed in many quarters, industry is coopera-
ting as never before, ready to spend money liberally
for research on waste disposal. Noteworthy is the two
million dollar project of the U, S, Public Health
Service which will be launched July lst for the con-
trol of stream pollution,
Concrete evidence of improvement of the waters
of New York Harbor. is seen in a group of oysters on
exhibit in this room, The late Captain Will Elsworth
told me in 1923 that he had caught his last oysters
in the lower Hudson River in 1917 close to the Statue
of Liberty. Exhibited here today is a group of ex~
cellent oysters dredged last December on Robbin's
Reef within the very shadow of the Statue of Liberty,
One is tempted to become sentimental, and to suggest
that even the lowly oyster is enjoying the protection
of our Goddess of Liberty,
Finally we shall learn during this convention
of the excellent progress made by Dr, Loosanoff and
his associates in raisins oyster and quahaug larvae
to setting size at the Milford Laboratory, Armed
with such technique there is every reason to hope
that through selective breeding we can obtain oysters
and aquahaugs capable of attaining market size in half
tha time now required, From the growth studies of
Martin and ourselves in New Jersey and of Dr,
Loosanoff at Milford we know that certain oysters in’
any lot will outgrow others by as much as ten to one,
In my own studies of water pumpage by eysters it has
been found that two year old Cape May oysters select-
ed through rigorous competition in the heavy sets of
that area, can out-pump eight year old Barnegat Bay
oysters, grown from non-selected seed, by at least
two to one, Since the oyster must obtain the mater-
jals for growth and fattening from the water which
it pumps, it follows that ability to pump water is
probably the most important characteristic of a
vigorous oyster, Unless the oyster is very dif-
ferent from most other animals such vigor is inheri-
ted in at least a portion of the offspring, Select-
ion of the fastest growers in each succeeding genera-
tion should soon give us an oyster comparable to the
large Pacific oyster imported from Japan which has
in eighteen months reached a size where eight of
them will make a pint, This may sound fantastic
but science has produced equally miraculous results
with other domestic and game animals such as trout;
why not with oysters? To accomplish our goal re-
search positions in the shellfisheries field must
be made sufficiently attractive in salary and in
tenure to interest young men of ability and with
adequate training, Above all they must have com-
plete independence of, and protection from, politi-
cal interference, Looking back over half a century
it is clearly evident that bad politics has been a
(-8-)
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far worse enemy of the oyster than pollution, star~-
fish, drills and all other 1.2tural enemies combined,
You .Jny this industry have the political power to
protect the scientists who are ready and eager to
serve you; their fate is largely in your hands in
a future that is bright with promise,
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Varying Characteristics of Oyster Bottom
= by=
Allan A, Sollers, Commissioner
Maryland Department of Tidewater Fisheries
Annapolis, Md.
2 OK OK 2fs Kk OK
An oyster, Mr, Chairman and friends, is the one
thing in the world that I envy, The lazy rascal
spends just about his entire life lying in bed, To
complicate the matter further, this fastidious gentle-
man is a bit particular about the kind of bed he lies
in, If iteois..too,soft he,settles in and dies. If the
bed is too hard and shifting he likewise is covered up
and departs for the oyster spirit world, Hence we are
compelled to take due notice of these eccentricities
of our exacting bivalved associate; our personal eco~
nomic welfare is dependent on it,
The uniniated, though otherwise well informed,
might quickly ask, "Why haven't physical and chemical
analyses been made of the submerged lands, the sever-
al classes established, and these classes correlated
with their capacity to grow oysters?" He would doubt-
less substantiate his question by pointing out the
work done by the agricultural experiment stations
ashore and refer to the glib way that farmers speak
of loams, clays and sandy soils, marls and the host
of other classifications in that book,
Such a classification might be useful; I have
discussed the question with those qualified and have
never discouraged such an attempt. JI have by the
same reasoning never strongly advocated such an ef-
fort for fear of oversimplification, There is more
to the problem than would show in a simple physical
analysis of the ground in question, I will discuss
variations, complications and exceptions later,
If an attempt were made to classify the sub-
merged lands, the Chesapeake Bay would be a good
place to make it; surely we have every combination
in the world there, and maybe one over for good mea~
sure,
Three general classifications would be immediate-~
ly apparent,
The first to attract attention would be the sands
along the shore lines, They feel relatively hard and
firm to the bare feet of bathers but they lack any ad-
hesive or cohesive qualities and shift about with the
pounding of the surf, Their extent off shore is de-
pendent on the degree to which the area in question is
exposed to heavy seas,
Second, just beyond the shifting sands, we again
find sand, but something has been added, Mixed with
the coarse grains of sand, are smaller particles that
possess definite adhesive qualities, I am not sure
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There is no reason why the oysters in Long Is-
land Sound should not spawn annually, Our records
show that the summer temperature of the Sound is
always high enough for the development of gonads and
for inducing spawning, In depths up to about 40 feet
a temperature of 20.0°C. or higher is maintained from
about July 20 to September 15 or 20, i.e., approxi-
mately 55-60 days, a period long enough to permit the
oysters to discharge their gonads completely, Even
at the depth of 100 feet the temperature reaches 20,1
or 22,0°C, The mjority of the oysters complete their
spawning by about the first of September, approximate-
ly 15 or 20 days before the temperature begins to de-~
crease below 20,0°C, (Loosanoff and Engle, 1942),
Thus, failure of setting in our waters cannot be at-
tributed to the failure of oysters to develop gonads
and to spawn,
The failure of some aquatic species to propogate
has been explained by the reason that a large number
of the eggs discharged remained unfertilized and
later perished (Thorson, 1946), This explanation can-
not be applied to our oysters because, in their case,
usually a large number of. individuals spawn simultane
eously, and this mass spawning insures fertilization
of the majority of the eggs, On several. occasions we
observed spawning of oysters on the shallow bed of
Milford Harbor, During the spawning the water over
the bed was rendered milky with the discharged eggs
and spermatozoa, Examination of the eggs showed that
all were fertilized, thus indicating that there was
no appreciable waste of eggs, A similar situation
probably exists in the deep water beds, It is doubt-
ful, therefore, that failure of fertilization is a
cause responsible for the production of the small
number of larvae,
On the basis of the presented considerations we
may conclude that in Long Island Sound a sufficient
number of oyster larvae is produced each year, These
larvae are planktotrophic with a long free-swimming
or pelagic life which, in our waters, is about 18 days,
Larvae of this type, as Thorson (1948) points out, are
"Cheap" because the eggs from which they develop are
small, containing little yolk and, therefore, they can
be produced in extremely large numbers, However, the
initial advantage possessed by the oysters in produc-
ing a large number of eggs and larvae is counter-
balanced by several disadvantages the first of which
is, perhaps, the long larval period, During this
period the larvae are exposed to the attacks of their
enemies and are entirely dependent in their develop-
ment upon the presence in the water of certain plank-
ton forms which serve them as food, Furthermore, dur~
ing this period the larvae are also exposed to .con-
tinuous changes in their environment some of which
may cause heavy mortality or the complete disappear-~-
ance of broods of larvae,
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Before proceeding to discuss the conditions
that may, or may not, be responsible for the mass
disappearance of larvae we should, perhaps, be-=
come familiar with the major events of the pro-
pagation of oysters in Long Island Sound, In the
past a rather complex formula was offered for pre-
diction of the time of the beginning of spawning
and setting (Prytherch,1929). We find, however,
that the situation is less complex than it ap-
peared to earlier investigators, Our observations
showed that spawning in Long Island Sound always
begins either during the last few days of June or
during the first days of July. The earliest date
of spawning recorded was in 1945, or June 26, and
the Jatest, in 1937, on July 3... Thus, dnjiwelve
years the beginning of spawning was confined to
a calencar period of only eight days, We may be
justified, therefore, to conclude that in Long
Island Sound the beginning of the oyster spawn-
ing season should be expected on June 30 +
4 days,
The beginning of spawning occurred at every
lunar phase ranging from new moon to the last
quarter, It was not related to definite tidal
Changes and, therefore, to the changes in hydro-
static pressure,
The earliest beginning of setting was re-
corded in 1941, on July 15, and the latest, in
1943, on July 23, Thus, in twelve summers the
beginning of setting was confined to only about
nine calendar days, Although it most often took
place on July 17 we may, nevertheless, suggest
that, for all practical purposes, in Long Island
Sound the beginning of oyster setting should be
expected on July 19 plus 4 days, The beginning
of setting also happened at every moon phase and
was not confined or even closely related to a
definite tidal condition,
The formulae offered are based upon our
observations which, I believe, are extensive
enough to justify suggesting them, They should
be found correct in the majority of instances
but, nevertheless, we do not maintain that they
should remain forever infallible. Some extreme-
ly abnormal conditions, not encountered thus far
in our experience, may either hasten or retard
Spawning, or shorten or prolong the larval per-
iod to such an extent that the beginning of
Spawning or beginning of setting would take
place outside the limits given in our formulae,
The setting season in Long Island Sound is
of comparatively long duration, It usually ex-
tends from the third week of July to the end of
September, and sometimes even to the first days
of October, However, the intensity of setting
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in time does not follow a rigid pattern from year to
year but shows several variations, For example, in
1940 the first wave of setting was extremely heavy
while the second wave was relatively light, In 1942,
however, heavy setting came late in the season as
part of the second wave, In 1944+ setting continued
almost uninterrupted during the summer but again the
first wave was much heavier than the second, Final-
ly, as in 1948, there may be two waves of setting of
almost equal importance, In the latter case two
distinct waves with pronounced peaks or maxima were
especially well demonstrated,
The date of the peaks of setting showed no Tre-
lation to the date of the beginning of spawning. In
twelve years of observations the periods elapsing be-
tween the beginning of spawning and the day of maximum
setting of the first wave varied from 16 to 40 days
and averaged 30 days, and the beginning of the second
wave varied from 47 to 66 days and averaged 56 days
after the beginning of spawning, In time the date of
maximum setting of the first wave varied from July
19 to August 10 and the second wave, from August
25 to September 12, These variations show that it
is difficult to predict with any degree of accuracy
the dates of maximum sets,
In search of signs of periodicity in the occur-
rence of the peaks of setting the number of days
elapsing between the dates of maximum settings of
the two waves of each year were determined (Table 1).
The number of days for the year of 19365 is not shown
in the table because the late setting in that year
was a complete failure, The longest period between
the two peaks was recorded in 1937, when 53 days
elapsed between these two events; The shortest per-
iod of 23 days was noted in 1944, In the remaining
years the period between the two peaks ranged be-
tween 28 and 38 days. Thus, as can be seen, setting
of oysters not only varies in intensity from year to
year but the peaks of the setting also do not show
a definite time pattern,
What are the conditions responsible for the
survival of larvae and, therefore, for variations in
intensity and in the time of setting? Because our
voluminous data are still not completely analyzed
we can offer at this time only a general discussion
of some factors without a complete evaluation of their
importance, We hope, nevertheless, that later on,
upon completion of a thorough statistical analysis
of the mterial already available, we shall definitely
establish the presence or absence of correlations
between some of the ecological factors and intensity
of setting.
Temperature is the first factor that always
comes to mind when considering oyster propagation.
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Number of days elapsing between the dates of maximum
setting of first and second waves, Long Island Sound,
1937-1948
YEAR DAYS YEAR DAYS
1937 53 1943 --~
1938 30 1944. 23
1939 36 1945 28
1940 31 1946 34
1941 38 194-7 32
1942 38 1948 37
es)
It cannot be denied that low temperature
prolongs the larval period, thus exposing
the larvae for several more days to their
enemies and other unfavorable conditions,
However, we do not think that fluctuations
in temperature in Long Island Sound during
any particular summer or, as recorded dur-"
ing different summers, may kill the larvae,
The old conception that a sudden decrease
in temperature of 2 or 3° would kill the
larvae has been disproven by our field —
observations (Loosanoff and Engle, 1940).
Recent observations at Milford Laboratory
by my colleague, Harry C, Davis, showed
that if larvae kept at a steady temperature
of about 22,0°C, were placed directly in
cold water of about 8.0°C., and after be-~
ing kept there for 30 minutes were again
transferred back to 22,0°C.,, they would
survive this treatment, even if it was
repeated several times at two-day inter-
vals, The work of Sparck (1927) also
showed that the larvae of 0, edulis with-
stood quick cooling from approximately
20,0 to 0,0°C,, and were even able to
survive at the latter temperature for
at least 24 hours, Obviously, small
fluctuations in temperature, as obser
ved in the summer time in Long Island
Sound, should not result in mass mortal-
ity of larvae,
Although temperature may affect the
larvae by prolonging their swimming peri-
od or by affecting the quantity or quali-
ty of their food supply, no clear-cut re-
lation was found between the departure
of temperature from the mean during the
periods between July 1 and September 30
and intensity of setting, It is interest~
ing that the heaviest set of twelve years,
which occurred in 1940, was during the
year when the temperature departure was
considerably below average, It is em-
phasized, however, that a further and more
detailed analysis of our data may indicate
that although no correlation between tem-
perature and setting was noticed when long
periods were considered, certain correla-
tions may be found when the data are ex~
amined on a monthly, semi-monthly or week-~-
ly basis,
The changes in salinity in Lons Is-
land Sound are so small that they certain-
ly cannot be regarded as responsible for
the mortality of the oysters, Roughly,
our salinity range is between 25,0 and
28.0 parts per thousand, Usually the
changes in salinity of the water for the
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same period of the year seldom exceed 2,0 parts per
thousand, and not in a single case did we find that
the salinity for the corresponding week in twelve
years exceeded 3.0 p.p.t. However, although these
changes are not great enough to cause mass mortality
of larvae they may, nevertheless, reflect on the pro-
duction of the food on which larvae exist, ‘This phase
has not. been thoroughly investigated as yet,
The percent of sunshine during the breeding per-
iod of oysters should also be considered as one of the
factors which may have an important influence on the
survival of larvae, This, of course, does not mean
that intensity of light itself may kill or stimulate
the growth of larvae, Its effect is largely confin-
ed to the growth of plankton forms which may serve
as food for oyster larvae, Again, preliminary analy-
sis of the data showed that in Long Island Sound the
intensity of setting for the entire season was not
correlated with the percent of sunshine during the
period from July 1 to September 30, Nevertheless,
it is possible that later on, upon a more detailed
analysis, some correlation may become apyarent,
Since, at present, none of the above discussed
causes appears to be dominant in causing mass mortal-
ity of larvae, one, naturally, turns to look in an-
other direction for an explanation why larvae dis-
appear in our waters, We shall discuss two of the
possible reasons, the first being extermination of
larvae by their enemies and the second, death of
larvae because of lack of food,
There is no doubt that a high percentage of
larvae is eaten by their enemies, and that, in
some cases, the presence of a large number of ene-
mies may be the primary cause of failure of oys-
ters to set, It is doubtful, however, that the
failure of set in’ Long Island Sound is primarily
due to that cause, Were we to assume that oyster
larvae disappear because they are eaten, we would
naturally expect to notice a similar disappearance
of the larvae of closely related species of mollusks,
such as clams, mussels, teredos, etc,, which live in
the same environment with oysters and have the same
enemies, Our observations show that this is not the
case, During several summers, including that of
1948, while oyster larvae were relatively few in
number, the larvae of all ages of the clam, Mya
arenaria, and of some other lamellibranchs were
numerous, Furthermore, while the oysters failed
to set in extremely small numbers, heavy setting
of Mya and mussels continued throughout the summer,
Thus, since, regardless of the presence of common
enemies, the larvae of many lamellibranchs survive
in large numbers to the setting stage, we should
expecta similar rate of survival among oyster
larvae, This, however, was not borne out by our
observations,
(-20-)
We all know that in the southern states the fouling |:
of shells with various organisms presents a definite pro- =
blem because these organisms deprive the larvae of set-
ting space, Most of these organisms are also larvae eat-
ers, Furthermore, in addition to the bottom forms there -
are large numbers of jellyfish and other pelagic larvae~ .
eating organisms, Yet, regardless of such a large vari-
ety and the large number of larval.enemies heavy oyster
sets occur rather regularly, ;
In Long Island Sound, on the other hand, the bottom
fouling forms are fewer in species and numbers than, for
example, in Chesapeake Bay or in the Carolinas, Although
a few of our shells, planted in early July, may be found
Silted by the end of the season, very few of them would
be encrusted with barnacles, ascidians, etc., as is al-
most always the case in southern waters, Obviously, the
larvae enemies in our waters are not as numerous as in
some other areas where good sets are, nevertheless, pro-~
duced regularly. Thus, even if the larval period in our
waters is longer than in the South, it still is improb-
able that the failure of our sets would be due almost
exclusively to the activities of the larval enemies,
I can cite another example of the same type, In
Connecticut waters the best and most consistant sets oc-=-
cur in the small, rather well- protected area of the
Thimble Islands, The slopes of the shore of these is~
lands are extremely heavily populated with different
organisms which are plankton feeders, Large sections
of the bottom are aiso heavily populated with larvae-
eating invertebrates, Yet, regardless of such a pre-
dominance of enemies the oyster larvae there survive and
set in large numbers, while the Sound proper experiences
one failure after another, Obviously, if larvae enemies
were the chief causes of failure of setting, the Thimble
Islands area should not be a good place for the propaga-~
tion of oysters,
We may conclude after the above discussion that while
the importance of larval enemies is understood, and while
it is recognized that the damage they do to the popula-
tion of oyster larvae is rather extensive, it still seems
improbable that in our waters, where the larval enemies
are not as numerous as in other oyster-producing areas,
failure of sets should be ascribed mainly to the activi-
ties of these enemies,
The final cause which we wish to consider in this
article is that of lack of proper food for the oyster
larvae, At first the suggestion that under natural con-
ditions oyster larvae may perish from starvation in large
numbers sounds highly improbable, Several years ago I
would not even have considered such a suggestion because
I know that, as a rule, the waters of Long Island Sound
are comparatively rich in plankton. Yet, during the
last few years, especially since the work on cultivation
and physiology of oyster larvae was begun at our labora-
tory, more and more evidence is accumulating that oyster
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larvae cannot utilize most of the forms of ultraplankton
regardless of their small size, A more detailed discus-
sion of this subject will be given to you by my colleague,
Harry C, Davis, who did work on oyster larvae, while I
shall limit myself to only a few remarks,
It has been found that the addition of mixture of
laboratory cultures of ultraplankton forms measuring
from 2 to 5 microns in size, thus small enough to be
swallowed by the larvae, will not make oyster larvae
grow, Apparently the mixture of plankton given to the
larvae did not contain forms which could be assimilated
by them, Yet, the same food given at the same time to
cultures of larvae of other lamellibranchs was readily
utilized by them. Thus, while, regardless of the pre-
sence of numerous ultraplankton organisms, oyster
larvae refused to grow, the larvae of other species of
lamellibranchs thrived on the same forms, This, of
course, indicated the inability of oyster larvae to
assimilate the ultra plankton forms which were present
in the food cultures,
I think this phenomenon is extremely well il-
lustrated by the expveriment which I devised and which
I asked my colleague, Mr. Davis, to perform for me,
Last winter oysters and clams, Venus mercenaria, were
made to’ spawn on the same day but in separate con-
tainers, A day or so later, after the larvae of both
species had reached the straight hinge stage, we
placed the larvae of the clams and oysters in the
same container and began to feed them with a mixed
culture of laboratory-grown food culture containing
a large number of ultraplankton, Three days later
the clam larvae had grown in size to 1054while the
oyster larvae were still 754, Five days after
fertilization some of the clam larvae were already
measuring 1254, while the majority of the oyster
larvae were practically at the same stage as at
the beginning of the experiment, After eight days
the clam larvae were over 140 while the oyster
larvae were still between 75 and 80the majority
showing no growth whatsoever, At the end of the
ninth day the clams were growing very vigorously
showing almost no mortality and measuring about
160“while the oysters were dying in large numbers
and those living were still measuring only between
75 and 80“, After 12 days the clam larvae were
finishing their free-swimming period and were
setting in large numbers while all the oyster
larvae were dead or dying. None of the oyster
larvae were longer than £04
Several variations of this experiment were
run to be sure that the oyster larvae were not de-
prived of their food by the larger and more vigor-
ous clam larvae, To achieve this some cultures
were composed of a large number of oyster larvae
and relatively few clam larvae, Regardless of the
(~22~)
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temperature, solar radiation, presence of certain nutri-
tive substances, such as phosphates, nitrates, etc, These
relations remain to be determined, and all the data should
be more fully analyzed and studied, Nevertheless, I think
we are now approaching the solution of the problem why the
intensity of oyster sets in northern waters varies so great~
ly from year to year,
_BIBLOGRAPHY
LOOSANOFF, V. L. and JAMES B, ENGIE, 1940, Spawning and
setting of oysters in Long Island Sound in 1937, and
discussion of the metnod for predicting the intensity
and time of oyster setting. U. S. Burj Bish,, Bull. 33,
Vol, +9, pp, 217-225,
LOOSANOFF, V. L., and JAMES B, ENGLE, 1942, Accumulation
and discharge of spawn by oysters living at different
depths. Biol, Bull., Vol, 82, No, 3, pp. 413-422,
NELSON, THURLOW C,, 1928; Relation of spawning of the’
ene to temperature, Ecology, Vol. IX, No. 2, pp.
a 5-154,
PRYTHERCH, H, F., 1929, Investigation of the Physical
conditions controlling spawning of oysters and the
occurrence, distribution, and setting of oyster larvae
in Malford Harbor, Connecticut, U, Ss, Bur, Bish? Bulls,
Vol. 44, Doc. No, 1054, pp. 429-503.
SPARCK, R., 1927, Studies on the biology of the oyster
II, The feeding and growth of the pelagic larvae of the
common oyster (Ostrea edulis),
Rep. Danish Biol, Stat,, Vol. 33, pp. 46-56,
THORSON, GUNNAR, 1946, Reproduction and larval develop-~
ment of Danish marine bottom invertebrates,
Mecdslelser Fra Kommissionen For Danmarks Fiskeri -
Os Havundersgelser;) Series »Plankton, Viole i, spp.
Hae),
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‘TH a
PLANS AND PROGRESS OF OYSTER INVESTIGATIONS
IN FLORIDA
; = by-
Robert M, Ingle, Assistant
Director - Oyster Division,
Apalachicola, Florida,
ak ak akc akc ake 3k
The great decline in oyster production of the State
in latter years prompted the 1947 legislature to appro-
priate $100,000.00 to begin the rehabilitation of the
oyster bottoms of the State and to encourage greater —
harvests,
Dr. F, G, Walton Smith, Director of the Marine Labora-
tory of the University of Miami was made director of the
newly created Division of Oyster Culture to serve without
pay, Mr, Robert Ingle, shellfish researcher of the Marine
Laboratory; was appointed as Assistant-Director on a full
time basis, Both men were given broad powers to make rules,
regulate closed seasons,
Although the money was appropriated in 1947, actual
setting up of the new activity did not begin until February
of this year (1949) when the above appointments were made
by the newly nominated Superintendent of the State Board
of Conservation, Mr, George Vathis, ;
Progress thus far has been mostly in setting up a
research program designed to establish some of the basic
facts concerning the Florida Oyster, This survey will
try to throw light on such subjects as these:
(1) How long do oysters spawn within Florida waters?
When do they start, quit?
(2) If there are peaks in the spawning, can they be
predicted, or do they follow any regularity?
(3) What is the growth rate during each year of life?
(4) What is the length of larval life?
(5) How do the spawning seasons of competitors for
setting space compare with oysters?
(6) What are the optimum eclogical conditions, What
extremes of salinity, temperature, etc,, can
be tolerated by larvae and adults?
In order to answer these questions a broad research
program has been started with the center of activity
located in Apalachicola Bay, A field laboratory has been
set up and equipped in one of the local seafood houses,
Nine stations have been established at which fall of spat,
salinity temperature, turbidity and other hydrographic
data are obtained each week, In addition, growth rate
of young spa is being studied and at two of the stations
(-25-)
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the growth rate of larger size oysters is being care-
fully watched, ;
A weather station is located in Apalachicola which
enables us to correlate facts obtained from the nine
stations with meteorological finds such as air tempera~
ture, wind direction and intensity, precipitation,
Metcorological data for a period of thirty-five
years is available to us in judging the normaley of
the weather during the investigation and, hence, whe-
ther or not the findings of the investigations can be
deemed typical.
In addition the U, 5, Weather Bureau, maintains
a river station at Blounstown, fifty miles up the
Apalachicola River from the site of the investigation,
Accurate data is obtainable from this’ station on flood
stages, rate of fresh water discharge,
Thus we can surround ovr studies of oyster biology,
especially spawning, by quantitative data on a great
muber of physical and chemical environmental factors,
even to the amount of sunshine received by Apalachicola
Bey.
This information, as it is received, is translated
into constructive measures for the rehabilitation of
the oyster bottoms, For instance, the discovery that
spawning occurred much earlier than was anticipated
has enabled us to beging the planting of cultch at an
early Gate with the assurance that it would attract
a substantial number of oyster spat,
Also, Since spawning occurs in a greater density
in different parts of the bay at separate time we are
able to adapt our cultch planting operations to the
areas which enjoy an intensified spawning during any
particular week or month,
Coorelative studies are being carried out ona
smaller scale in Cedar Key, Florida, a location at
some distance from Apalachicola on the west coast of
the State of a latitude of about 60 miles more south-
erly, It is expected that there might be slight dif-
ferences in spawning habits of the oysters of this
region due to greater temperatures on an overall, year
around basis, although this contention remains to be
proven, Scveral experimental plots of seed oysters
have been planted in the waters south of the Suwanee
River to ascertain which of these areas hold the great-
est potentialities for oyster culture,
It will be interesting from an academic stand-
point to compare the findings of this investigation
with the knowledge already available on the same
animal in other parts of the United States and Canada.
(-26-)
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> | ; gen ae to hay. avg! yt ecw or wt Tot seatsa’
@ é mm ta = vy ggaevels On & i ee, 729
emcdcut {eonaun ete’ = Saotoscs weet 16 ta
aboat: forge) “SI tee > i; s 30 Tne. ay oo fave
Ll : IBS &
Seyertulin<. ay « Ttaa col TT NGO ees
ee 39 ny?iese SS wes Y yah auiteo d of fo teane: gad 4
Sarason tincy tk 3 “aes of() Oo LW otad eis
[iva far: iz woes rade
: Tisms $plpaty |r GS SVS 2 are Revi: onte~ oc fh co
et4 ev auld sJoterpys f= ea inte ba) a | ‘ten taTtte: mE
« ome ot BND LR gO ptsc@ hp, gar f> Hag or od aide
wie snivwb gilneqge Ss lcregea? os youn dolnW spats
goer 10 Meow elvolrrag
Ss no Yio Extriso ycied. 2% BAlhors ovisaloroo9
te noljsasol 2 pa Pelt Ae gntas nd efnoe tofiena
tq JELOS snow. oe no al todnaeal sc & tt Sodsteth gato
-_ -GiUG6s" 070K ao lta mh Rafimr.) i i) etry tT ol a To ojath -)
“2th tigtie sd sigtn ote Sat? poh shoet pt 3t , vite
sid? te wretevc ort to eaidan gain weqe nt ceo ak
7 ‘Seay. .[letovo ns no evuttatogiey ts wieons oy oub swalge
ed of caseees polimetnos tho saved Ea ae ts
2107?cyo tee< to etolg Faso ae’: 20%S cree aa |: po
eenawih at? to divor ote daw ott ns P nate Vi
“tao%5 ett iio neers analy > alunos ft
di ate Se) [70
i] —
-hnots olen hon. a8 mort bo HOT FL
stad sgh ait? to egaes bart on
baie wT oto eldeltove ehserct
ebboes 5 nears tad pe "e *y & .
aa
P
But more important will be the help these facts
will provide in actual cultivation, In February 1949
‘there were only 1738 acres of oyster bottoms leased to
private concerns, By consultation with interested
planters and by encouragement it is hoped that this
acreage can be doubled within the next year,
Closed seasons, management, (including the plant~
ing of cultch) and close observation are expected to
increase the yield from natural bars,
(=27=)
INTENSITY AND DISTRIBUTION OF OYSTER SET IN
CHESAPEAKE BAY AND TRIBUTARIES
Fred W, Sieling,
Oyster Biologist,
Maryland Department of Research & Education,
3K AC OK Ber
The intensity and distribution of the commercial
oyster set in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries
has been studied for some years now by biologists of
the Department of Research and Education at Solomons,
the Fish and Wildlife Service and recently by the
Virginia Fisheries Laboratory, Setting of previous
years has been reported at these meetings thus only
the 1947 and 1948 oyster set will be described. Ob-~
viously it is important to know what number of spat
has set, so that future production plans may be form~
ulated both for seed and marketable oysters, For the
purpose of this report, the Maryland part of the
Chesapeake Bay is divided into three distinct areas,
each having its own particular characteristics, These
areas may be defined as follows: The Upper Bay is
that portion lying above Sandy Point on the Western
Shore and Love Point on the Eastern Shore, The lower
part of the Chesapeake Eay is divided by the ship
channel into the western and eastern half, These two-
are quite different in their physical characteristics,
The Main tributaries of the bay react as individual
units and will be treated as such, The seed areas are
sharply defined and have certain distinct characteris-
tics which will be described later,
Very detailed observations are being taken on
each oyster bar visited and a standard form filled in
by the biologists of the several agencies working in
the field, These forms have been developed jointly
and all the groups working in the Chesapeake area are
making uniform observations, so that information ob--
tained in different areas can be compared accurately.
In this way, there is being built up records of actual
populations and the physical characteristics of the
oyster bars,
Many areas are visited but once a year, so that
it is important to have as complete a picture as can
be made at that time. Other areas, notably seed areas,
are under intensive observation and detailed informa=
tion obtained at frequent intervals is available,
pee ae be discussed in some detail later in this
report,
The counts of oyster spat used in this report
were made on one half bushel random samples from the
oyster bar, Usually several samples were taken on
each bar and the counts averaged,
(~28-)
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x eres Mtetied ody nn ralna aval iyie side ia
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eet | etLoal at? tac ctefsuv odf>etnt fennndo, )
wont fenis ~ te tliggld ak weepveTila.seiuo ah
2a rate vase day. to a2eltaziaiiw ela ect
Se glint? dQ Satepts ec Liiv fas etiau
fontads Poukl eid alciiee ever o twaktul “fcuade
“suetol Latisesh ed Lliw daidv toty..
3 wuotvavieada be tiesen wee
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Soret setempas Laiovwe atl I> ava wages alt yd
entot Bedo. rg SV onoort wed Glory art?
os 5878 odtegerago ons at galvienw equody ald ee aaa 2.
‘wGO colt currotitt wale 3 ameoiieyionde mpmtini pikes
eUfetemoas betagico 3 tae beats Sostett{y ab bentalt
APs, » , Soe Yo ebzocet qu Jifvd yated ci salt, vow eile al
in edt. 48 pila tdcike min od Saale pty od San enotiatiqoy
oa *) i a sated tedeyo
. 5 Patterns ae fone tod pedtery o1s eden wa
-\ | Ned’ ae aiurtak ese! poe rs tossioqur et 22.
“Stee bese yidaion /ereis J fen? te eheat
- -artdtnt baftesed fis ican oe evisnstnt toh at
,oidefltevs st eievisint Snovpes? o6 ber aC
7 that oh natal Liatotr eae atk bacanaud' ,
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Most of the Chesapeake Bay bars show a rétiarkably
poor setting record for both 1947 and 1948, However,
if the record is broken down according to areas, it will
be seen that one area, the eastern shore of the Bay from
Love Point to Tangier Sound had a rather consistent set-
ting record, Several areas along this shore’show sett~
ing characteristics comparable to seed areas, ._One such
area in 1948 had a set of 743 spat per bushel on natural
culteh,
The figure used in the following averages were de-
rived by averaging only bars which were visited both in
1947 and 1948,
The average set on the eastern shore side of the Bay
for 1947 was 61;2 spat per bushel and for 1948 was 15.5
spat per bushel, This figure does not include the two
high setting areas visited in 1948, These counts are
too low to make good self-sustaining bars, The western
shore of the Bay has an even lower setting record, The
average set on bars visited in both years showed a set-
ting average of cnly 2,2 spat per bushel in 1947 and 3,4
spat per bushel in 1948,
The upper part of the Bay in which ten bars were’
visited both years showed in 1947 an average set of 5,5
spat per bushel, In 1948 this figure dropped to 0,3 spat
per bushel, These figures show that the future populations
of the upper and western parts of the Chesapeake Bay, barr-
ing an unusually heavy set, will be of practically no com-
mercial value, This low setting rate combined with the
low population level presents a very poor outlook for the
near future of public oystering in the Bay proper, The
bars mentioned are all Bay dredging bars,
In general, the 1948 setting record was even lower
than the 1947 set, possibly reflecting the general lover-~
ing of the population level.
The picture in the tributaries is not good, but it
is materially better in most cases than in the Bay proper,
One of the large producing tributaries is the Choptank
River, This area has in the past been largely self-
sustaining but the population, level is being gradually
lowered, In 1947, the average number of spat per bushel
was 28, In 1948 this figure fell to 9 spat per bushel.
This set will not add materially to the production of
the river, The tributaries of the Choptank are, however,
rather heavy setting areas and can be expected to contin-
ue to produce,
Tangier Sound, one of the important producing areas,
Still has a good population of mrket oysters, These
oysters are predominantly of the 1945 set which was ex-
cellent, This area in 1947, excluding the seed area of
Holland Straits, has an average surviving set of 45 spat
per bushel, In 1948, the set was slightly higher averag-
ing 55 spat per bushel, Tangier Sound has many very ex-
cellent tributaries which are heavy oyster producing
(27—))
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areas and which may contribute materially to the set
in the Sound, These tributaries receive good oyster
sets each year and are good self-sustaining areas,
Pocomoke Sound, a fine self-sustaining area, show-
ed a great drop in spat per bushel setting in-1948, In
1947, the record was 308 spat per bushel on natural
cultch and in 1948 it was 197 spat per bushel, There
is, however, an excellent ponulation of oysters on the
small area of natural rocks,
The Potomac River, excluding the tributaries,
presents a rather discouraging picture as the popula-
tion level is low on nearly all the major bars and it
has received a very poor set during the last two years,
In 1947, the average set was 10,8 spat per bushel and
in 1943 the average set was only 7 per bushel, The
tributaries of the Potomac River, however, present an
entirely different situation, Excluding the St. Mary's
seed area, the average set in the tributaries was 178
spat per bushel in 1947 and 86 spat per bushel in 1948,
These records, again, cover producing bars and not
shell plantings, However, there was a drop in 1948
almost proportional to the drop in setting in the
Potomac River,
The Patuxent River, typically a poor setting area,
continued its record of low setting with an average
in 1947 of 15 spat per bushel, In 1948, the set was
even lower, being 7 spat ver bushel, Unlike some of
the rivers, the Patuxent lacks oyster producing tri-
butaries, The Patuxent must depend on plantings of
seed oysters from the State's seed areas to maintain
its bars in production. There is a low level of
marketable oyster present in the population now, so
the outlook is not bright for next year,
The three main seed areas of Maryland bear a
rather striking resemblance in many of their physi-
cal characteristics, They are all nearly land-locked,
have heavy populations of adult oysters and typically
are not deep, There are many smaller potential seed
areas which have not been develoned and utilized but
which are now excellent self-sustaining areas,
Eastern Bay is perhaps the largest potential
seed area in the state, At this time only a fraction
of its acreage is being used for seed purposes, It
has a consistent record of heavy setting. Close
study of this area is being made by the Fish and
Wildlife Service, Examination of the shells planted
there disclosed that the surviving set was 2002 spat
per bushel in the fall of 1947, In 1948, the catch
was lower, being 776 spat to the bushel on planted
shells, Slag which has been planted as cultch in
the Eastern Bay seed area for several years was found
in 1947 to have a surviving set of 2280 spat per
bushel, The 1948 planting of slag had a set of 944+
Spat per bushel. These counts are higher than those
30-)
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on planted shells in the same area, There is how-
ever, a higher mortality in moving the spat on
slag than there is in moving the spat on shells,
due to the rolling of the particles of slag in the
dredge which crushes the small spat, The natural
oysters bars in the Eastern Bay area annually re~
ceive a good catch of spat, This area probably
will be used more in the future by the State as
a seed area,
Holland Straits is a large area which is not
fully developed at present. It has had a some~
what more spotty setting record than Eastern Bay,
but it is a good seed area, The last two years
were below average in spat per bushel, In 1947,
the surviving set was 153 spat per bushel and
in 1948 the set was 408 spat per bushel. There
is\ a possibility that too much, brood stock as
being removed and that an area should be estab-
lished in which the oysters would be left to
mature and breed, Such a sanctuary might, it
appears, increase the average set materially.
This area will be studied more closely during
the coming setting season,
The area which has been studied most in-
tensively by the Chesapeake Biological Labora-
tory is the St, Mary's River, a tributary of
the Potomac River, This river has a consis-~
tently good setting record, but there is not a
very large area available for development, The
area here is much less than that availabie
either in Holland Straits or Eastern Bay, There
is an abundance of adult oysters on it which do
not grow to a large size becuase, presumably,
of overcrowding. The average surviving set
in the St, Mary's River seed area on planted
shells in 1947 was 1807 spat per bushel. This
figure in 1948 feel to 788 spat per bushel,
The natural bars in the river also receive a
good catch of spat, Many types of experiment-~
al cultch have been tried here, including slag
of three different sizes, tin scrap, broken
plaster molds and porcelain insulators, Also,
intensive observations of oyster setting and
of fouling organisms have been carried on from
June until September and weekly records of
salinity and temperature have been taken,
This concludes an area by area analysis
of the distribution and intensity of setting
in Maryland waters of the Chesapeake Bay for
1947-1948, The year 1948 was below average for
setting in most cases and in almost all cases
(=31-=)
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|
ON THE CULTURE OF OYSTER LARVAZ IN THE LABORATORY
- =) dD ne
Harry C, Davis, Aquatic Biologist
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Milford, Connecticut,
OK 2K ok ok
In a study of the effects of the various conditions
which the oyster larvae may encounter in nature, it is
desirable to be able to maintain cultures of the larvae
in the laboratory during as many months of the years as
possible, Observations on these cultures will undoubt-
edly reveal many of the conditions responsible for the
death of larvae in nature and may finally explain why
the oyster set is a complete failure in certain locali-
ties in some years,
Using methods developed at Milford Laboratory for
inducing gonad development out of season, it is now ~-
possible to obtain larvae almost throughout the year,
During the last year larvae have been reared to the
setting stage not only in summer but also in winter get-
ting sets as high as several hundred spat per 16 liter
(approximately 4.2 gallon) culture jar at either season.
The standard method for rearing oyster larvae has
previously been described in detail. Briefly, it con-
Sists of changing the sea water in the culture jars,
every second day, through stainless steel screens that
retain the larvae, The cultures are constantly aerated
and supplementary food is added daily. Our experience
indicates that this offers the larvae the best condi-
tions attainable, at the present time, in the labora-
tory. When more frequent changes have been made, ex-~
cept in rare instances, no improvement has been noted
either in rate of growth or in survival of the larvae,
They do not do as well if changed less frequently how~
ever, probably an accumulation of waste products causes
the slower rate of growth and poorer survival of larvae
noted in these cases,
In using the methods for inducing gonad development
out of season and rearing larvae in the laboratory ab-
normal larvae were occasionally encountered, Some of
these abnormal larvae were apparently due to immature
eggs, obtained by induced abortive spawnings of females
that were not fully ripe. In some cases such spawnings
appeared to be quite normal and large quantities of eggs
were released, more frequently, however, comparatively
few eggs were released. If, for example, oysters were
spawned after relatively short conditioning pericds at
temperatures only slightly above 20,0°C,, the eggs some~
times developed only to the late gastrula or early tro.
Chophore stages, At these stages they became so "sticky"
that they adhered to each other and to the walls of the
culture jar, particularly at the water line where they
normally congregate in large numbers, After 24 hours
in such a culture, a gummy ring was found at the water
line and all the larvae were dead, With somewhat more
advanced but still immature eggs, the larvae developed
(Sey,
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shells more or less normally but were quite small
measuring only 60 to 70%at the 48-hour straight
hinge stage,
A situation, which may have a similar explan-
tion, was encountered with oysters from the natural
beds in Milford Harbor and Long Island Sound in the
summer of 1948, During the period of July 5-15
five groups of oysters from these beds were spawned
with none of the five batches of spawn collected
giving more than few very small straight hinge larvae,
even though on July 1st and end similar groups of
oysters had been brought into the laboratory ad
spawned and the resulting larvae developed normally.
Also on July 19 some of the oysters of the July 15
group spawned again and these larvae developed
normally, Probably most of the oysters involved
had spawned on the natural beds just prior to being
brought in and possibly at the time of their first
Spawning in the laboratory had not again accumula=-
ted fully mature eggs,
Overcrowding the larvae in the culture jars
may also result in abnormal larvae, In most cul-
tures that contained 500 or more eggs per cubic
centimeter, if the larvae developed to the shelled
stages at all, the shells formed were abnormal and
the larvae soon died. In some cases, hcwever,
using daily changes of water and the addition of
large quantities of supplemental food, such cultures
have been carried for 15 days and more, and the
larvae have shown some growth,
Another possible cause of abnormal larvae is
the use of sea water in which adult oysters have
been kept, Eggs collected from the conditioning
tanks and trays after a mass spawning usually gave
a poor percentage of shelled larvae many of which
were abnormal in shape. Fewer abnormal larvae are
obtained when large numbers of eggs are spawned in
a small vessel so that the sea water containing the
eggs can be greatly diluted with fresh sea water in
preparing the cultures, Parallel cultures, one of
which was diluted with fresh sea water, while the
other was diluted with water from an aquarium in
which adult oysters were being conditioned, showed
that the sea water in which adult oysters had been
kept gave a much lower percentage of shelled larvae
and many of them were abnormal in shape,
Regardless of the cause of the abnormality,
such larvae rarely grow satisfactorily, even though
the conditions causing it are later corrected and
the larvae may live for several days,
Healthy larvae, however, appear to be quite
hardy and capable of withstanding many of the teme=
porary changes in the physical conditions they are
(-34~)
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That clam larvae do utilize foods that the oyster
larvae cannot has been demonstrated by mixed cultures
of clam and oyster larvae in which their living condi-
tions must be the same, Supplemental foods were used
that permitted the clam larvae to grow normally and
set in the regular 12 to 1-day period, The oyster
larvae, however, grew very little or not at all, and
eventually died, These results were not due to the
clam larvae, which are larger, robbing the oyster
larvae of food since the results were the same even
when only a half dozen or so clam larvae were present
in the mixture, Similar results were aiso obtained
using parallel cultures of clam and oyster larvae
that received the same food,
The fact that cultures of clam larvae can re-
gularly be reared to the setting stage, while many
of our cultures of Eastern oyster larvae cannot ap-
pear to be due solely to the ability of the clam
larvae to utilize a much wider variety of supplemen-~
tal foods,
Likewise, larvae of our Eastern oyster cannot
utilize foods that larvae of the Olympia oyster can
use, Cuitures of the Olympia larvae have been reared
to the setting stage, while parallel cultures of our
Long Island Sound larvae receiving the same food grew
very slowly, with one culture all dead in 10 days, the
second culture almost all dead at 15 days and the re-
maining culture showing a very wide range of sizes,
from 75A straight hinge larvae to medium umbo stages,
by the time the Olympia larvae set,
In laboratory cultures, at least, food seems to
be the limiting factor in the growth of oyster larvae,
While occasional cultures have been reared to the set-~
ting stage merely by changing the sea water every 48
hours, throughout most of the year supplemental feed-
ing is necessary,
Evidence that it is lack of food that limits the
growth in our cultures of oyster larvae was obtained
from parallel cultures one of which received supple-
mental food while the other did not, Most of the
cultures in which the larvae reached the setting stage
were those that received supplemental food, and in most
cases larvae in the parallel unfed cultures grew very
little and eventually all died, In many cases, of
course, both cultures grew very little and died in about
10 days, apparently becuase the supplemental foods used-
in those cases were not utilizable by the oyster larvae,
Another indication that it is lack of proper food
that prevents many of our cultures of oyster larvae
from growing is that it is possible to duplicate, with
clam larvae, the slow rate of growth, wide variations
in size and high mortality, so characteristic of many
(~36~)
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of the cultures of oyster larvae, merely by supply-
ing insufficient quantities or the wrong type of
food to the clam larvae,
Finally, it is difficult to conceive any other
factor than lack of proper food that would so pro-
long the free-swimming period of our Eastern oyster
larvae while by using the same techniques hard clam
larvae and Olympia oyster larvae are regularly rear~
ed to the setting stage in relatively normal time.
Although in one experiment our Bastern oyster larvae
were reared to the setting stage in 23 days, in most
cases it required 36 to 40 days for the larvae to
reach the setting stage, and in a culture from eggs
spawned January 6 it required 50 days for the first
larva to reach the setting stage, the most profuse
setting was between the 52nd and 5Suth days and some
setting continued until the 60th day.
Two conclusions, therefore, seem warranted - first,
that our Eastern oyster larvae are not able to utilize
as wide a variety of foods as can the larvae of the
hard clam or the Olympia oyster, and second, that it
is food, at least in laboratory cultures, that is the
limiting factor in growth of oyster larvae,
Preliminary experiments are in progress to ex-
plore the possibilities of interspecific hybridiza*ion,
On several occasions active Olympia sperm have bern
added to unfertilized eggs of our Long Island Sound
oysters but fertilization did not occur, Such eggs
held for as long as eight hours showed no evidence
of fertilization. In some instances active sperm from
our Eastern oysters were added two or more hours after
the addition of the Olympia sperm and in such cases
fertilization by the Eastern oyster sperm and the sub~
sequent development of the eggs was equally as good as
for unfertilized control eggs held for similar periods
before the addition of Eastern sperm, The Olympia
sperm, therefore, probably does not even enter the
ege of our Long Island Sound oyster since it does not
cause the formation of a fertilization membrane nor
does it interfere in any way with the fertilization
by Eastern oyster sperm,
Although crosses have been made between the
Eastern oyster and the Japanese oyster, Ostrea gigas,
and between the Eastern oyster and the Kumamoto oyster
(probably a variety of 0. gigas) and reciprocal fer-
tilization is obtained, no conclusions can be drawn as
to the viability of the resulting larvae, The adult
Japanese and Kumamoto oysters were shipped to us from
the State of Washington in the fall and apparently had
not spawned in the Washington waters last summer since
all were found to contain large quantities of spawn.
Although some of these oysters were induced to spawn
and their eggs and sperm used in the crosses, we are
in some doubt that such spawn was normal, Hence, in
(-37-)
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Lee s.
THE OYSTER INDUSTRY OF NORTH CAROLINA AND SOME OF
ITS PROBLEMS,
A, F, Chestnut,
Institute of Fisheries Research,
Morehead City, N.C.
sek ak seo
According to the available statistics, North
Carolina has maintained a rather modest position in
oyster production over the past fifty years, In 1940,
for example, it was third or fourth from the bottom of
the list of oyster-producing states along the Atlantic
and Guif coasts, Since 1930 production has only twice
exceeded 500,000 bushels in a single season, At least
four surveys have been made of North Carolina waters
concerning the possibilities of oyster culture (Win-
slow, 1886; Grave, 1904; Coker, 1907; Galtsoff and
Seiwell, 1928), Each survey appears to express the
opinion that potentialities exist for a great industry.
However, the industry has been slow to develop, and
the oyster continues to represent one of the great
undeveloped natural resources of the state,
The oyster-producing areas are located in the
numerous sounds of the state, bound on the ocean
side by the so-called "banks", making these sounds
almost landlocked bodies of water, Albemarle and
Currituck Sounds are considered too fresh for oysters,
Oysters are found growing from Roanoke Island to the
South Carolina border, Pamlico Sound produces the
bulk of the oysters marketed in the state, This is
not surprising when we consider that this body of
water with approximately 1, 100,000 acres is seven
times greater than Roanoke, Croatan, Bogue and Core
Sounds combined, Pamlico Sound, some seventy miles
long by thirty miles wide at its greatest length and
breadth, is a relatively shallow body of water aver-
aging 18 feet in depth, with the greatest depth at
25 feet, Several shoals extend from the mainland
into the sound. Brant Island Shoal with a depth of
2 to 8 feet extends in a northwest-southeast direction
about half way across the sound, Bluff Shoal ex-
tends in a north-south direction from the northern
shore of Pamlico Sound with a depth of 7 to Jl feet
overlying the shoal, It merges into Royal Shoal which
extends to Ocracoke Inlet, The bottom of Pamlico
Sound varies from mud to hard sand with the mud bot-
tom confined chiefly to the channels of the various
tributaries, The salinity in the immediate vicinity
of the inlets averages about 30 parts per thousand,
progressively diminishing toward the mouths of the
Pamlico and Neuse Rivers on the western side of.the
sound, The currents are determined largely by the
winds, and the tidal fluctuations are found in the
vicinity of the inlets,
39-)
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Ap gite S602 Sf '%0 ean aaph0 a
The legislature of 1947, upon the recommendation
of a committee appointed by Governor Cherry, passed
a law imposing a tax of 50¢ on every bushel of oys-
ters going out of the state in the shell, Attempts
to repeal this measure were defeated during the
1949 session. Opponents of the tax believe that
North Carolina could be developed into an important
seed-producing area and believe that such a tax is
hindering this program, There are areas where an
abundance of seed could be procured in Bogue, Core
and Pamlico Sounds, A question arises whether the
available seed be used within the state to maintain
and encourage the industry or be allowed to leave
the state, There may be sufficient for both pur-
poses, ‘The legislature of 1947 also passed a regu-
lation specifying the return of 50 percent of the
shells accumulating at the shucking houses, thus
inaugurating a definite shell-~planting program,
A tax on oysters harvested from the natural beds
was increased from 4+ to 8¢ per bushel, The in-
creased revenue is to aid in meeting the expenses
of shell plantings, In 1947, 63,258 bushels of
shells were planted, In 1948, this amount was in-
creased to 95,919 bushels, In 1949, 119,517 bushels
of shells were planted as the state's quota with an
additional 34,000 bushels of shell purchased, Ten
thousand bushels of seed oysters were transplanted
as an experimental procedure in three counties,
The private leasing of grounds for oyster
culture has been emphasized since the time of
Winslow's survey in 1886. This supvosed solution
to the problem of increased oyster preduction and
development of the industry has not been too popu-
lar, Leasing of bottom is permitted within the
state with limits of 50 acres in the tributaries
and 200 acres in Pamlico Sound, However, the
counties of Hyde and Pamlico prohibit leasing of
bottom, There are at present but 3,232 acres
under lease, The majority of these grounds
average ten acres and are used to raise oysters
for family use or to supply oyster roasts, These
leased areas are found chiefly in the tributaries
of Core and Bogue Sounds,
Many factors appear to favor North Carolina as
an oyster-producing area, There is an abundance of
seed in some areas, Potentialities exist in Core
and Bogue Sounds for greater utilization and develop-
ment of oyster seed, The quality of oysters is, in
general, good and can compare favorably with oysters
from other areas, The fact that North Carolina oys-
ters have since 1890 been sold as Chesapeake oysters
cannot be overlooked, North Carolina is situated
about in the geographical center of the extreme
ranges of the eastern oyster, Weather conditions
favor rapid growth, making it possible, in some
localities, to produce a marketable oyster in two
years, The numbers of enemies are not as great as
in other oyster~producing areas; Pamlico Sound is
(-41-)
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value of the results of such observations lies in the desig-
nation of those seed sources from which oysters do best when.
transplanted to typical Maryland conditions, If seed from
certain areas should show superior growth and survival char-
acteristics then effort can be made to establish them as
brook stock in the state seed producing areas.
All oysters in these experiments have been grown on trays
of the Sea Rac type placed on the bottom under the Laboratory
pier in the Patuxent River, Depth of water over the trays is
about four feet, the trays being placed side by side in a
line extending at right angles to the shore and with a com-
paratively weak tidal current flowing across them. All oys-
ters were placed by hand at a slight angle leaning on the
left valve with the bills up. This position insures a uni-
form exposure but seems to have produced a somewhat more
elongate oyster than those grown flat down on the left valve.
Tidal amplitude averages 1.2 feet and salinity approximately
14°/00 varying from a normal of about 11 in late spring to
16.5 in the fall. Considerable variations from normal may
occur from year to year.
The initial plantings consisted of groups of 500 oysters
Givided between two trays. Later plantings have employed
somewhat smaller numbers. Each tray had 2 x 4 timbers wired
to its bottom to prevent settling. These timbers were aban-
doned after the first year since it was found that they were
destroyed by shipworms in one season and no apparent differ-
ence resulted from resting the trays directly on the bottom,
Measurements of the length and width of each oyster were
made, usually at bi-monthly intervals. Depth was not meas-
ured because the difficulty encountered with fouling organ-
isms and erosion of the shell made it impractical to attain
sufficient accuracy where so many animals are measured,
Boxes were measured and a correction for their size was ap-
plied to the preceding measurement since it was observed
that typically those which died had made little or no recent
growth, Occasionally a few individuals disappeared from the
trays and could not be accounted for. The series under ob-
servation was added to in 1948 and again in 1949. Similar
plantings have been started in a prong of the Maryland por-
tion of Chincoteague Bay.
Growth and mortality curves for the various groups
have been plotted. The patterns of growth at Solomons dur-
ing 1947, 1948 and the spring of 1949 have been somewhat
different. Growth during the spring of 1947 was good but
levelled off with little or no growth occurring during July
and August. Rapid fall growth followed. The interval be~
tween late fall and early spring measurements was too great
to show any cessation of growth during the winter months.
Growth during the spring of 19438 was again rapid and of an
(-45~)
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Bovslawe avad eyitinaly edad. wyvee ANt Saew od badtvts
itw eroded) + x 5. Sel eV Sateen Tel lean Jeiwenca
we ec Mar a Jeeta oS aottod #28 a2 a
qi gaw ft “Oe@ fatli sic ToIte Kened
# OD SG8 G4nGs Oho ti arivwatcs ud leq teeed
piere Hihiw Gee Hiarel ef? Ie efreme teal
< *negilli- cafe Sout? GI af CometeIt1> Sechiat wren odd
pili Grin heats sa or4uey Lis) i2ela07%3 eit? Jat?
7 <0 Boek eit. Gre 206) Wo Neve tp. carers toog Utev edd yitwom
(pine al squvesa ban id Manel eaAteYA .getsqe atid Niwot to -
= : Pialel yet ol Piso Yi wevdy Jats 59 tuiinite aiiup
. wos
f ia %
ote |
= foe RS Lancenoe Bie Merauuieaioge Jans ose tdawllt
©” ) asde goetad a5sc0% dase = Gt Gawot Jostta yan peonetes
7
ai f patwors aprowe srerweVUAb els neowied dnetaqqa ah
i grain ist 9 ok WPeT We adtyial ad? ,anomolg® fe
aed
, Meat ape
t*% oe mute @2 -@nitnaia boxe sable fa nt Saw yt sunset oonldd
_
1 a Sr Wess, novia ets tovlA dnox
hal ; 2 tf BISat
os os
>on “cies tien samy Hotes vt HIDES |
A “yp 26202 ee (et eesns pend ‘al Jrnectmod emwoe.
| ae Ge! apt v1)" Ye? punto Vesey,
Se | oh cant adlewe.
xO | “toVER 90
7 ae
my pe a
Yes 8s at et at fe :
oe a a a
tee 6e sa, So OS ee
av wo ve
LENGTH IN MM. OF RANDOM SAMPLES
OF PATUXENT PLANTING
Seed from shell Year class April July Dec. July Oct.
plants in '44 '44 '44 '45 '45
St. Mary's River 1943 27 43 Wa, 74 85
(marketed in 3rd year)
Tables 2 and 3 show the growth of all groups started
on trays in 1947 and 1948 as indicated by the product of
length and width for one year periods, The cumulative per
cent of mortality observed is also given. It will be noted
that the mortality of established oysters during the second
year is less than during the initial year. Higher mortality
generally occurred among oysters transplanted from waters
of greater salinity and among those of the smaller sizes,
The best survival at Solomons, 5% mortality, has been among
Gull Rock, N. ©., seed, which were of comparatively large
size and from water subject to periods of fairly low sal~
inity. The greatest mortality, 58.4% was among the Long
Island Sound Oysters from waters of a comparatively high
and stable salinity. The seed transplanted from Chesa-
peake salinities of around 12 to a portion of Chincoteague
Bay, where salinities range from 20to 50 have shown better
survival and growth than any of those planted at Solomons.
- TABLE 2
GROWTH AND MORTALITY OF SEED OYSTERS
PLANTED AT SOLOMONS IW MAY, 1947;
SIZE EXPRESSED AS MM. LENGTH X MM, WIDTH
Source of Seed Initial Size in % Mort. Size in % Mort.
pizev Jityear beyear Ogf years 2 years
Gull Rock, N. C. 2993 5047 2.8 5450 ao)
Mullica River,N. J. 2846 4289 750 4442 1256
Milford, Conn. 2745 4599 40.8 4701 58.4
St. Mary's River, Mad. 2623 ASe7 eee oles 5256 26.2
James River, Va. 2094 4250 9.8 4410 13.4
Delaware River, N.J. 2094 5625 14.0 5982 25.2
Maurice River, N. J. 1649 SCIEN eLE .4 3484 20.4
Holland Straits, Md. 1584 3725 8.2 4901 1520
Eastern Bay, lid. 1348 34190 15.4 4339 1764
(=47—)
BUSHMAS. MOOMAR: 0 gti 1 sempre =I 4 -
OU MAIS TURXUTAT WW (>) J eal
380 vib jet retits tiaah eaata ‘uneY feds nore best
a ae i ah) @ a > “at a tnell
a * ts 98.) GORE, mental a'vmas del
7 1 ie ; 7
Arma cbt wt ey 9xrtnal) | | | a —
berate ogi, to adwory nia wade E Bde S seid? — 4 | _
J bisiohont Oe GeOL bas Teel ak py sent nO)
.BHOR Sq 388% aaQ w don digosl
-isvig, cals af Sevteado” on, to ones
t Ray pee re to Yiliadiom ats Sorts
parm grad 2 aoa as t68t
“a
: ' = ‘gaion:
— qxsz We mM ata Wrwom
waht aes gd oe = fa GFTIsit
wuz Bt 2a Gseesanixa Wits
Si wt eal® .ytol & at esd fatsinl besa to sotuee
tyne f aes £ este
3,2 {208 2008 0 Me nOORn Lied
on" Ot Gace soce@ -.& savisvth soltinud
a) Ob 18g2 bets eso, Gro TLL -
oe | 9.03 ‘sts voce? .b ptevell ahetall. te
p. ot : g,% ObGr ee eV .tevlk asmiat
2.28 S806 rr EHS foe U.K. towel avtaws 04
». OS whee . 15% “EBT .G .W tev) cofusit
aL Looe Fe £RS beat .pM ,adhent® baallo
hy ' Och> . Olee abc bu ,yoa avedaas
(—ta~)}
TABLE 3
GROWTH AND MORTALITY OF SEED OYSTERS
PLANTED AT SOLOMONS IN APRIL-MAY, 1948
Source of Seed Initial Size in % Mortality
Size 1 year 1 year
New Haven, Conn. 56735 4095 27.16
Hdveto River, ‘on. Cr. 2954 5566 14.9
Green Point, L, I. 2854 5575 57.0
New River, WN, C. 2047 2860 Sot
Beautort, N. ¢. 1906 2522 22.0
Delaware River, NW. J. T2US 1687 41.6
Eastern Bay, Mad. 431 1678 48.6
Seed planted in Chincoteague Bay
Harris Creek, lid. 4054 8505 5.0
Fishing Bay, lid. 5885 8646 2.8
Duration of the experiment has been too brief to fur-
nish conclusive evidence as to whether or not significant
aifferences in growth exist among the groups of surviving
oysters after adjustment has been made to the environmental
conditions prevailing at Solomons. That initial differences
in growth and mortality are evident has been pointed out.
Seed from the local state seed areas and that from Gull
Rock, have thus far proven superior for planting under local
conditions. However, differences in growth among individuals
within a group have been observed to be much greater than
those among the group averages. A greater or less number
of runts which have made little noticeable growth during
the period of measurements has been present in all groups.
The two plantings in Chincoteague Bay shown in Table 3
present an interesting feature in that the Harris Creek seed
are native to water which is typically clear and seldom
roiled by wave action while the Fishing Bay seed are from
a shallow water area frequently roiled by wave action ren—
dering the water rather turbid and silt laden. The latter
condition of the water is very pronounced over the soft
textured shoals of Chincoteague Bay. Although both groups
have made very rapid growth, the ones native to turbid water
have done somewhat better in both growth and survival.
These observations in general offer some indication that
oysters which have grown for many generations in a given en=
vironment may thrive somewhat better in that or a similar
environment than will stock transplanted from areas where
different conditions prevail. This does not preclude the
(4a)
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|
SOFT CLAM INVESTIGATION:
The State of Maine has great quantities of soft-shell
clams and an intense commercial fishery. The principal
problem of the State of Maine Sea and Shore Fisheries Com-
mission is the management of this fishery so that it shall
not become depleted. In places the digging can be greatly
increased, in other places it must be curtailed if the in-
dustry is to continue.
FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE RESEARCH PROGRAM IN MALNE:
Boothbay Harbor has been selected as headquarters for
the Clam Investigation as laboratory facilities are avail-
able there and also as it is about the center of the soft
clam producing area. Three biologists are stationed there
at the present time and two beys have been chosen for study
to develop methods for management of the clam fishery.
These two bays, Sagadahoe Bay and Robinhood Cove, are lo-
cated at the south and north side, respectively, of George-
town Island. Sagadahoe Bay is a wide, flat, sandy bay,
facing the open ocean, Low tides expose an area of flats
three-quarters of a mile long and half a mile wide. From
six to twelve diggers work in this area during the Winter
and twenty to twenty-five during the Summer. Robinhood
Cove which opens at the north side of Georgetown Island
is a long, narrow, deep bay with rather steep muddy banks.
A relatively small area is exposed at low tide but the
shore line is about seven miles long and clams are quite
abundant. The same men dig in both Robinhood Cove and
Sagadahoe Bay are sell their catch to one or two clam buy-
ers. These buyers have kept daily records of the number
of bushels each man has dug for the last three years. They
will give us these records and will continue to keep them
for us in the future which will enable us to determine
catch per unit of effort, or bushels per man tide in both
areas.
Each bay will be handled as a separate management
»roblem to determine the amount of clams which can be re-
moved each year without depleting the stock. To determine
this we must first learn how fast the clams grow and how
many clams are now present in the bay. We must determine
how many young clams are added each year by setting and
how many die of natural causes, such as predators, silting,
freezing, disease, or old age. We have to know how many
small clams are killed by the commercial digging and how
many eggs are produced by clams of different ages and sizes,
Balancing all of these factors will tell us the amount
of clams which can be removed safely each year. This figure
(ol)
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Naithedtoa toc aslflinavp vane eid ont ah. to ‘odedd att
isqhonit 4iT; Ioetxe
“WO Docund sonaboucs of Sagrado aid asiw berseqnos sd
eo yitarot De doudnco $d ote onotdeaidenvnt asondT
iM? itn Ootkelmand golsedal® Gade Aux 998 satell to saad
ets te sulbuta dneiq Joligva@al @eivic? atlin(iv’ bas dott
@843. botootisg mood svar shoddapaioi .osfdeng Cnomsasnee
o2 bey ae eae) “loue ed _* ao ae prninilto.steJé
i . iL: Seago. son Yo ifs
Gotadagad. te Kozdude er aid of pokiiiba nt
| #eetadal Laude tO gitwldeve fito vol Ddpdaidolt Sug yet
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83 20 shodJen canals 6¢lesGai eet vats? to dosrte ,° uted -
7 anemia Te ca an-Age ont? teed yanelo’ bess nat
a@?e , foes
een: sh © : . MOREAU ANDI ck Bee HNA Ya’
‘ rt @40eth wld Yo erage, GAT —
| = eiibertaug agtondoanontt bru eakdaqnel walt |
eutal © «) efédamoqeot ef baa fi
Seeent dodde afadt ~. coltsslsesy
erxcneth both av0t of WHT
pavisoubwiqg senp sew doldw asoth
ed! te Ging boeolo aad notiolloq
tahith ef9 Ic Mabsoos Debiny oq et seuuionsgan al=
“Sect nnewe adioti doftes Sua etoseea baa sect
rf .SuolYsa of enaded eas noltelaed
nas oe ovoid of Gaiisto ebatfeg saleyg
T 3 a at ineta ivol ."tevene Jaddvaq s
ges: ae: datos tot anglo
& aul Lanéie mod ,potermet steylac to F.
fitw vistas Jekotpmeog BORAARS & og
96 pelbtzdies of! neti paléivavt tl
>
_— ome Betis nt detdesot eafo ts col eco a
7
ar, t-faet
the Ipswich, Parker and Plum Island Rivers, was once a
center of clam production and still has great poten-
tialities. Most of this area is free from pollution and
lies within the Refuge where experimental plots are easily
protected.
An office has been established at Newburyport and
three biologists are stationed there. Arrangements have
also been made for cooperative studies with Harvard Univ-
ersity in this area.
The Newburyport Unit will establish experimental clam
farms and determine their commercial practicability,
Spawning and setting of the larvae will be followed to de-
velop methods of obtaining seed clams. Growth rates and
mortality of the young clams will be determined. The
effects of predators and means for their control will be
studied.
In addition, investigations will be made to establish
the reasons for the decline in abundance of clams. Past
catch records from the town shellfish wardens and the dig-
gers themselves will be obtained to determine if overdig-
ging can account for the decrease or if it could be a
periodic fluctuation as some believe. Observations of
areas closed because of sewage pollution should yield some
valuable information concerning changes in abundance where
there is no commercial fishery. The Joppa Flats, at the
mouth of the Merrimack River, are full of large clams but
have no small ones. This may indicate that no setting has
occurred during the last three years or that some unfavor-
able condition has killec the smaller clams. Spawning and
setting will be studied here during this Summer to deter~
mine if reproduction is normal.
All of this work will be in close cooperation with
the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution project at
Barnstable and the Shellfish Program of the Marine Fish-
eries Division of the liassachusetts Department of Conser-
vation.
; he MeL =
4 oone Row .stevih inaint mult pie asarel ,coiwaqt adf
* snodoq Juste acd Liiva Uns actroutorm melo te seed — 7
ban nestuiio; morh sort ef sare Ny To Joo! ,s0ts fats ~~
fuse. 610 gfolq fesseulierxs sists esttai add Hiddiw estl” ~
a . ; ‘+Getous org
a i.
—
~ Zz — ; D ;
| Die Jrorewideet 31 biel idesns noed gait noi TI0 ha
svat sicomopnersh viens, banoiiasea ete aleisoletd setts
<2 a byawiall fiziw saldvte svijisiteqoo9, Fok chew masa Osis
: : ite stds nt Yilsets
_ Poa a - —_ _ ‘
§ Easaaminogve dsitdataé Uiiw siot(greggmeed! ont
~ eebbidestsoasy Ialvrsiaon het? gatesetet Sag gmt
i Bewetio: sc Litw esyiel sit To palsy fn poiawade
btu 4 lay divoD .edalo Fats, sian Jo_etcsitem aofey
as ioresed' ad [fiw dioto aaow sig 14 '¥IfiaTion
me in Pigisaoo. sds Sot_enien bee wroseeeis “io Bloutts |
7 t :
7 ; paths
fesse oF sham od Litw Banisas 2. want ,mGgd LASe
ude #2 stjicef mar wet anovaen ott
a ove? Se) ORE Girtoost gras
Spot silo ot See Gavlcaseds ateg 7
Rh. to qanse ue aay “at Zapooon nao pots
oad0 ..eveltod sons -s pelyeysolt olbol ted
ade goidufiog sapupe to snils0w ospolo saWia
Regiels sniaryendes nolsemm int oldniley.
Lado .wegawe? Saloremacy on of oiedt”
oJ 14 ifiw nam ood Cr). ,meldotq -
$id wondtat ,netaouberao sntan mort eanto deen printed
ph fitw. suk F teqord ait.24 sovgw add af Deoatg gifece osats
Ss <-f2tod theae wato doted Sv R20 wed duc. ,Jegs igzawo Mogae :
_ felorammeo Saqofove> se inet baeg antoteddo, to aborvem —
sow “losves Bagel oh -eiditanst ed. Ieven nae ontmist aslo
_») Oaditta edt. Ste —ofaW cihd-nl govd Be soivfsat tedtt afeq fev i
opraups iq borbave nevdiét 2s yilvesd aa dosdde fo ifeds
egatw osed Lrtpacoss ed {tiv ebedsan tallate edves soot
; ‘Yo. tedneredo® ocd, at Qaano sqadteh. .aslo Ileds Srad ons
| ennse:0 sic abooW adg aiil ascesq atadies 22 weised odf
:
enupat ffiw sidetante® ta gatam 3+ sotiedioent oldqare
\.pegook 03 widiascy oc tat 32 .O8En amiedanp tw gntsise
pete nt bon (wean vray et gntéjon Lecwiss avadv saota.
ots oesd? .basg ot) Bot souteise wf nso amet 6)
sae fife eagivh Ja ssatsotcid eft to anc tadg aqrssitdis | 8
. ; ome aids esolq: .
7
fet ,2t dite gol spor saskoss ajaubery eds edt) (82-1 g
mdi Tish 2 totape loves od? 4
se aks ack Pitious im. swt V2
- Sauce bracch +44 Ted 4
,eldati iow sacced
‘AT ROTS
gate ot Io yerae &
2S itia, ctutrsiat grtsub
gotessst Son etteulhal, say
Aaucitis boxvimis “rev st
ai epbes> Ww Aened BouG
én ak, 2clane Ja Yisaiao
@baniet wii anos abet oT
word of Sdarmynh al 84 =
$as. tnamosansn ragoty ro? :
:PuUOT TOsHOS
Higem fd Clinwh st goat seanng) Nw ceiedatt guadedp act -¢
—si wodayo adi tte aatdo pabetel yd Bednaqxs 94
pines pawint gio! at vitae .
(iit?
©
No field work is anticipated here at present but fmds
have been allocated to Dr. Loosanoff at the Fish and Wild-
life Service Shellfish Laboratory at Milford to develop
methods of artificial propagation. This work will explore
the possibility of producing seed clams in hatcheries
while the field units in Rhode Island and New Jersey in-
vestigate seed production from natural spawning and set-
ting.
RHODE ISLAND:
An intensive quahaug fishery by tonging, raking and
power dredging methods is located in Rhode Island. Tong-
ing is conducted the year around in every clean part of
Narragansett Bay by about thirteen hundred diggers. Power
dredging is permitted only in part of the Sakonnet River
from December lst to March Slst and supports less than
thirty-five boats, A serious controversy has developed
over the relatiive merits of these two methods and the Fish
and Wildlife Service has been asked by the industry and
the State Conservation Department to settle it. Tongers
Claim that power dredges tear up the bottom killing the
seed and breaking many of the marketable sized clams.
Dredgers claim their operations cultivate the bottom pre-
venting silting and increasing setting. Dredgers want
additional beds which are too deep for hand tongers opened
for the use of power dredges.
Two biologists are now stationed at Wickford, R. I.,
and have just completed a survey of the hard clam popula-
tion throughout the Bay in cooperation with the Narragan-
sett Marine Laboratory of the Rhode Island State College.
This information will be used to select a representative
area for experiments to test the effect of hand vs. power
methods on adult clams, juvenile clams, setting, and re~
lated bottom forms such as fish and scallops.
Part of the test area will be hand tonged or raked
and another part will be dredged. Equal amounts of hard
Clams will be removed from each plot. Periodic examina-
tions will show the effect of each method.
The results of this experiment will find application
all along the coast wherever controversies exist between
hand and power methods of clam fishing.
Seed production from natural spawning will be inves-
tigated this Summer by the Rhode Island unit as a beginning
of quahaug farming studies. Although clam farming is not -
permitted in Rhode Island at present, the methods developed
here should apply in other places.
(-56-)
hare tas ia peihe- ata ae te Aba ave a,
bay anit 4b Crotgiudes Hal, VLkgse ootviae wwe |
hp BROW efi’! aationeqetg fas tt 25a) 25 “Shontem
“tpl beh iow oe ited Dabwwhow tc yftiidiaded aft
bet Greidl gieeh adi adie) Dlort $dy-altiy
get ous =m? volseuhorq Sean -atont leey
ABy {
a)
a. . PQA ISS, ONS f
giawed wl ovrwist'! alintote avianeial oe
} se0en a) hovane) 2! ebyAlrer gatgbeth tewog
mors Vise. i!) Dingta a90% Oey Deen Pal mis
meat: BD SEthrhsi j'c* rei. Sea “eit vel siwenaaa trol
i 9 ee GA Ty faiy MO Pleo Pear reteg af Zekpveth
_ Sa cas cae" “hs Sufi deta wh «al Whee on: wou
7: pl ae COOP THOD ai Cl Se hk FF Jan’ welseyewtt)
£ ny nt) ies rin pod) 16 WIL aveioies elt. 4870
Weuva weal! wed solvxet? SBIILDLES ban ;
orl im
a eat oat So ones peg paldevreand? efafh. ead
* ee MOS FOR, wits Wl “taod aepheth saved fad? miels .
Be. B ettiates ~« eid Ya Sea gniiatwotd baa Boge ;
BPSTrdio onetTaege Tiedt mials qieghe
aie ‘ a e & ‘
Bei « cA eee af spunea bae Sridilw BAlinav 5)
Rebel Wat wich ool vtta Avdde abed Isnotsibba
: Soy wwoy Ta neu eh? 9%
Sefettccu £0) “an efedgriald avf
Ty goruy 6 Dagadjuns fewl oved baw - 3
Biacs of Bet ahd Sirgageronte Nols
Bi is to piptetodak sap fisa s |
a6! pa) SEF 29 of pagegotal aint
ge8 tacit tm atsusey +94 asts
S sites, . ls ths 19 ebetyen
Mésrt ws ciete onrree meadoed Bygul
s
: we4un .¢41! 02-7 oat _*
a Bed Lich Jue gedenn Sits
GR foes ttt be vont eS Siw ensfo
& te tov on one wortw, itw enold
: +t am
. Ce a& sal | al ie
ih TL: a » ‘
at steal /
ea, —_* 7
ite
A management study area is also planned for Narragan-
sett Bay. One part of the bay which supnorts a small fish-
ery will be observed and records will be kept of actual
catch. Methods simiiar to those described for the soft
Clam studies in Sagadahoc Bay and Robinhood Cove in Maine
will be used to arrive at an estimate of the sustained
yield. This estimate will.then be compared with actual
production and correlated with quahaug population trends
in the bay.
Management methods developed here can be applied wher-
ever a State Conservation agency has the responsibility of
regulating the fishery.
I would like to close with this thought, The program
of the Clam Investigations is flexible and can be shaped
to fit the needs of each area. We would welcome sugges~
tions of the industry to help us establish studies which
Will provide the most benefit to all concerned.
(57-)
a
(-ta+}
THE SPAWNING OF QUAHAUGS IN WINTER
AND CULTURE OF THEIR LARVAE IN THE LABORATORY
. - a by~
Ver Lie lecsanoftvand) HalCeDavas
U, S. Fish and Wildiife Service
Milford, Connecticut
The success of any shellfishery, including that
of the hard shell clam, Venus mercenaria, depends
to a large degree upon the availabisity of a supply
of young individuals, commonly called set or seed,
which can later be grown to marketable size, In
some areas sets of young clams are heavy enough to
take care of local needs; in others, which unfor-
tunately are more common, the ssts are usually ir-
regular and light, Realizing the importance of
having a good supply of seed Balding (1912) tried
to raise young hard shell clams by artifical means
under laboratory conditions, Unfortunately, Beld-
ing was not successful, because most of the larvae
in his cultures died either before they reached the
straight hinge veliger stage or soon afterwards,
Belding concluded that there was no practical
method for raising hard shell clams to the setting
stage because of the small size and delicate na-
ture of the eggs, Nevertheless, severai years
later Wells (1927) showed that by using a certain
technique clams could be propagated artificially
from tne egg to the setting stage, Wells, however,
was mostly interested in oysters and did not con-
tinue the clam work,
Our entrance into the field of raising clam
larvae was motivated by several considerations,
First, we still believe that by developing proper
and efficient methods artificial production of
clam seed may be economically feasible. Second-
ly, if we could succeed in keeping clam larvae
of different ages in the laboratory, a wide field
would be opened for studies of the physiological
requirements of larvae, and also for studies of
the effects of different factors of envirenment
on larval growth and survival, Such information
should be extremely imvortant for understanding
why some areas produce heavy clam sets while
others fail, Finally, the methods developed
for raising larvae to the setting stage will
offer us the opportunity to enter the field of
selective breeding by crossing the individuals
with certain desirable characters, such as un-
usually rapid growth, etc, The latter may ap-
pear somewhat far-fetched at this time but we
believe, nevertheless, that selective breeding
of commercial mollusks will become a reality
within a few decades,
Working with the hard shell clam is not new
to Milford Laboratory because one of us has been
studying intermittently various aspects of the
(-58-)
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clam'ts biology for the last 16 years, Our first
extensive experiments on raising clam larvae were,
however, undertaken some time last summer, Clams
were stimulated to spawn under laboratory conditions
and several cultures of larvae were grown to the
setting stage.
Obtaining spawn in the summer time is rela-
tively a simple procedure, During the summers of
1933, 1934 and 1935 many clams were induced to
spawn simply by raising the water temperature a
few degrees (Loosanoff, 1937). However, because
the spawning season of clams in our waters is
confined to a period of approximately 2 or 3 months,
experimenting with thelr eggs and larvae were
necessarily also confined to the same period or
time, Fortunately, since a method has been
recently devised to induce oysters to develop
spawn in the winter time (Loosanoff, 1945), we
decided to apply this method to clams also, hoping
in this way to extend considerably the period
during which ripe eggs and sperm could become
available for laboratory work, The method was
successful, and by using it we are now able to
make clams spawn, thus obtaining their eggs and
spermatozoa, throughout the winter and spring,
The method was successfully tried by other groups
of investigators to whom we described it,
It should be remembered that under natural
conditions there is a marked difference in the
condition of the gonads of oysters and clams
during the winter time, As has been shown
(Loosanoff, 1942), the oysters of our waters
resorb remnants of their gonads after spawning,
pass through a stage when the follicles are free
of all but the indifferent cells, and then, just
prior to hibernation, enter a brief period of
gametogenic activities during which ovogonia
and young ovocytes are formed in females, while
in males a few spermatocytes may be found in
some follicles, In general, however, the gonad
remains undeveloped consisting of a few fol-
licles scattered in the form of small islands
throughout the connective tissue which lies
in the area between the body wall and the di-
gestive giand, In this stage the oysters en-
ter into a long period of hibernation, which in
our waters lasts approximately from the end of
November until April,
In hard clams, on the other hand, an active
and very rapid gametogenesis begins soon after
the completion of spawning, and by the end of
October active spermatozoa can be found in virtu-
ally all the follicles of the miles (Loosanoeff,
1937a). Thus, excluding a brief post-spawning
(-59-)
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year,
In the females the proliferation of follicles
and growth of young ovocytes is also very rapid
during the latter part of October, Towards the
end of November and in December the ovaries al-
ready contain mostly large ovocytes of mature
appearance, Thus, the gonads of female clams
collected late in the fall or in the early winter
appear morphologically ripe, Therefore, if we
compare the gonads of clams and oysters in the
late fall or in the winter, we shall find a
striking difference between them because while
in oysters they are in typical winter condition,
containing only a few immature sex cells, clams
already have either fully developed sperm or
large ova, It is possible that this difference
explains somewhat the better viability of eggs
and larvae of winter-conditioned clams, as com~
pared with those obtained from oysters condition-~
ed in the same way,
Our method for conditioning clams to spawn
in the winter time can be briefly described as
follows: Clams brought from their natural beds
in Long Island Sound, where the temperature of
the water in the wintar time is near 0,0°C,, are
placed in trays of running sea’water having a
temperature of approximately 5,0 to 7,0°C. Then,
at intervals of 3 to 5 days the temperature in
the trays is increased by several degrees,
Eventually the temperature is raised to about.
22,00C,, and the clams soon become ready for
spawning, The entire conditioning period usual-
ly takes about 3 weeks, but can be made even
shorter if the intervais between the increases
in temperature are sho: tened to ahout one day,
or if the clams are piaced directly into water
of a temperature of apovt 29,0°C, Under the
latter condition we were able to make clams spawn
on the eighth day of the conditioning period,
Conditioned clams are induced to spawn by
raising the temperature of water to about 32,0 or
34,0°C, If the temperature is raised above 34,0%
most of the clams usually withdraw the siphons
and close the shells, It was often noticed that
spawning begins during a decrease in temperature,
i,e., if the temperature is first raised to
about 35,0°C,, and then gradually decreased to
32,0 or sometimes even to 28,0°C,
In several instances cases of spontaneous and
apparently unprovoked spawning were observed at
temperatures several degrees lower than 24,0°C,,
which had been considered the minimum at which
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clams could spawn, For example, on February 7
and March 4, 1949 clams were seen spawning at
22,0°C,, and on March 28 and April 5 large
groups spawned in the trays having a tempera-~
ture of only 21,0 and 20,6°9C,, respectively.
In all cases both males and females were
spawning, many of them quite profusely, The
eges from these spawnings were collected and
cultured, the larvae reaching the setting stage,
In the first two cases the clams had been used
earlier in the day in spawning experiments dur-~
ing which they were subjected to a temperature
of about 34,00C,; however, after that they had
been moved back to the tray of running water at
21.0 to 22,0°C,, and remained there for about
six hours before beginning to spawn, The third
group, however, had not been exposed to a temp-
erature higher than 22,0°C, for at least 11 days
prior to the spontaneous spawning, and the’
last group, which spawned on April 5 at 20,6°,,
was just transferred there several hours before
from the conditioning tray of 15.0°C, Regardless
of the nature of the factors that caused the
spawning it is important that it took place at
such comparatively low temperatures, thus sug~-
gesting that in nature clams can also spawn
under the same condition,
While conducting the spawning experiments
it was established that spawning of an individual
clam is not completed in’one day but is spread
throughout a long period, For example, in one
of our groups a marked female was induced to
spawn on six different occasions between February
2 and Mareh 3, Many other animals of the same
group spawned several times, In general, this
group provided us with spawn for a period of
approximately 5 or 6 weeks, before the majority
of the clams became spent,
Contrary to observations on oysters, spawn-
ing of which can be induced by the addition of
a suspension of sperm or eggs, clams do not
react sharply to this type of stimulation, The
mijority of rine clams could not be induced
to spawn by the addition of a suspension of
sex products, However, many would respond if
the temperature was raised several degrees,
Apparently temperature was a more important
factor than chenical stimulation,
Not all the eggs discharged in our experi-
ments by the spawning females possessed the
same vitality, Probably some clams were com~
pelled by the strong temperature stimulation
to abort the eggs even if the eggs were not
fully ripe, Such eggs usually developed into
feeble larvae which soon died, The last batches
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©f eggs discharged by virtually spent females also
fave feeble larvae that grew slowly and showed a
“igh mortality, With a little experience, however,
=f investigator can learn to recognize various
“ypes of spawnings and select only those batches
et eggs that are suitable for cultivation. We
Sound it rather difficult to induce spawning of
<“lams, which were about 4% inches or more in size,
“aller clams, measuring about 3 inches, usually
*e€sponded better than the larger individuals,
The eggs used for cultivation of the larvae
*€ve fertilized as soon as they were discharged,
-O separate them from the debris accumulating in
“ho spawning dishes the eggs were run through a
Stainless steel sieve, which allowed the eggs
*O pass through but retained the larger parti-
f£les, After that the egg suspension was filter-
<4 once more through another sieve, which was
fiiie enough to retain the eggs but let the
“ater containing the sperm, blood cells, etc.,
Pass through, The retained eggs, now free of
611 impurities, were placed in fresh sea water
in the hatching jars, which were continuously
AeVated,
_ The eggs and later young larvae remained
undisturbed until they developed into early
VGliger, Then the water in the jars was renewed
about every second day, To accomplish this the
colitent of the jars was strained through fine
Sleves, which retained the larvae but let the
Water pass through, The jars were then filled
With new water and the larvae returned to then,
To feed the larvae small quantities of mixed
Plankton cultures, consisting primarily of forms
of about 54 in size, were added daily to each
ja®, When the larvae were reaching the setting
Stace old oyster shells were placed on the
bottom of the jars to provide a place for attach-
ment, or the larvae were transferred to special
aquaria on the bottom of which a layer of sand
WAS spread,
_ A description of the development of the egg
ant clam larvae has already been given by Belding
(1921), Therefore, it is not necessary here to
2° into most of the details, Instead we shall
Offer a comparatively brief account of the
development from fertilized eggs to the dissoconch
Stace, as observed in our laboratory on good
batehes of eggs kept at about 22,0°C,
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while the larvae were still in the early stages, some of
them would survive and eventually develop into normal in-
dividuals which would reach the setting stage,
We found that the method for staining oyster larvae,
which we described some time ago (Loosanoff and Davis,
1947) is also applicable to clam larvae. By using a weak
solution of Neutral Red clam larvae were stained and thus
became easily distinguishable from the normal indviduals,
It is believed that this method will help, later on, to
study the dispersal of larvae from the place of origin,
their rate of growth under natural conditions, etc,
Our experiments showed that clam larvae are not too
selective in their food and will survive and grow on-
different diets composed of different micro-organisms, in-
stead of being confined to a few forms, as the larvae of
O Pmireinica Sseenmito, be. The execption was when the
clam larvae were fed almost a pure culture of Chlorella,
The larvae so fed grew more slowly and showed a heavier
mortality than these which were fed mixed plankton cul-
tures containing different green algae, flagellates,
bacteria, etc,
In conclusion it may be said that our experiments
showed rather conclusively that cultivation of clam larvae
to the setting stage is comparatively an easy matter, By
following the few simple principles and rules given in
this article mature sperm and eggs can now be obtained
on almost a year-round basis, and the resulting larvae can”
be grown to the setting stage even in the middle of winter,
In other words, as far as research work is concerned, we
can now accomplish in one year as much as could previous-
ly be accomplished in three or four, With the method well
developed and with the possibility of using it in summer
and winter we are now looking forward to carrying on a num-
ber of experiments devised to study the ecological and
physiological requirements of clam larvae, and to begin
preliminary work on selective breeding of clams,
SU OMEN AC ROY
— SE SS eee
The method is described by means of which hard shell
clams (V. mercenaria) can be made to form ripe gonads and
to spawn under laboratory conditions in winter, The me-
thod of raising clam larvae to the setting stage is also
described in detail,
BIBLIOGRAPHY
BELDING, DAVID L,, 1912. A report upon the quahaug
and oyster fisheries of Massachusetts, The Commonwealth
of Massachusetts, Dept, of Conservation, pp. 1-134,
JORGENSEN, C, B,, 1946. Reproduction and larval
development of Danish marine bottom invertebrates,
9. Lamellibranchia, Meddelelser Fra Kommissionen For
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oy Seeigslm) Geew tin ity acadd: atts ydtlabron
al? GATS (ata Pisses gntalainoo eu
- ghia. shag end
:
Suecmsis. Wes At: Veg 2? aola Zone ‘nt
B (aAviD bra Sy Cs beans. Poe nec ts, Guicsis
CRS, Wai ea) e839 of Saciy apts bee art? od
sole? Sere Palen 2 ne s> 6S getwiia2
Part ee Chee Sor vay SerrSeun eford te. alt
VENy Sw Ope palit tages -“py¢ = Wewls no
oa) Bet rea epi’ asdtao> mir of wry od
Dies. 26 Tioy éresete cas ee obcov eerite nt
7 Oluind sa macs SAS atz) GE Pa cep: soa “ON Aho
pngom St) ALY). iS) Go Gee mE bedatfomovds ad ef
pire Aik SP sited 20 VEL ESR Stn, s/f viv twa beqofoveh
AO Stay tis of ieevroy' gibt
Fic ie am? yhete. a gaps aes stnomtteqae to seg
S2VT5F wala 2B eeenrtiipss [nolgolotewiq
= 206,
LOOSANOFF, V. L., 1945, Precocious gonad
development in oysters induced in midwinter by
high temperature, Science, Vol. 102, No. 2640,
pp. l24-125,
LOOSANOFF, V. L, and H. C. DAVIS, 1947,
Staining of oyster larvae as a method for
studies of their movements and distribution,
Science, Vol, 106, No. 2763, pp, 597-598.
SULLIVAN, C.'M., 1948. Bivalve larvae
of Malpeque Bay, P. E, I. Fisheries Research
Board of Canada, Bulletin No. 77, pp. 1-36.
THORSON, GUNNAR, 1946. Reproduction and
larval development of Danish marine bottom in-
vertebrates, Meddeleiser Fra Kommissionen For
Danmarks Fiskeri-Oe Hevundersogelser, Serie:
Plankton, Vol. 45 °NO, 1, pp, l=5eo.
WELLS, W, F, 1927, Report of experimental
shellfish station. Report, Conservation Com-
mission, State of New York, 1926, pp. 1-26:
(-66-)
Growth Studies on the Quahaug, Venus mercenaria
Harold H, Haskin, Rutgers University
The State Universiyt of New Jersey,
ak ka 2K ak
Two years ago commercial funds were made available to
us through Rutgers University to examine the problem of
hard clam farming, Specifically it was desired to know
whether or not it would be practical to establish hard
clam farms on the same stable basis of culture employed
in the oyster industry, As you undoubtedly know, the
hard clam industry at present is based on the exploita-=
tion of a wild crop and is consequently characterized by
great fluctuations in yields, prices, etc,
Our thinking in attacking this problem was guided by
the experience of Dr, Thurlow Nélson along the lines indi-
cated by many of the papers on oyster problems discussed
at these meetings, Obviously to establish hard clam cul~
ture, it is necessary to insure a supply of seed and
secondly to be able to raise it to marketable size with-
out excessive mortalities, I will not discuss our efforts
to secure seed clams - we have had some success in arti-~
ficial spawnings and some slight success in trapping na-
tural spawn, but we are looking to the techniques of the
Milford Laboratory, as described here by Dr, Loosanoff
and Mr, Davis, to supply us with seed, I will consider
briefly here some aspects of the second group of problems
i.e., the raising of seed clams to marketable size, In
simpiest terms the problem is "How long does it take to
raise a marketable clam?"
When one thinks of measuring a growth rate, the
first question that arises is, "What dimensions are
best used?" In our first year of work we mde measure-
ments of length, height, thickness, volume and weight
of clams of all sizes available,
The first slide indicates the results of measure=
ments of over 2000 clams with length, height, thickness
and weight measurements averaged for groups of ten, it
is seen here that when height, width or the cube root
of the weight is plotted against length, a straight
line is obtained, This shows that there is no change
in proportions of these clams as they grow larger.
These data plots are particularly useful in that if
one average dimension for a group of clams is known the
other dimensions may be obtained directly from the graph,
For example one can weigh a group of 10 clams and im-
mediately read off the average length, width and thick-
ness of the group with an error of less than 5%, Be~
€ause of the relative ease of obtaining weights as con-
trasted with caliper measurements, weights are now used
in most of our growth studies,
(-67-)
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toot ‘edyd art tw dthiw Setyhon a tate o aa
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at det? Ot. fetoev yirela ob te ot ate edolty steal
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j easlo of to quoty & ig tow neo ono: olqe ae
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entoo'r of Binge 4t Ss
Daa settee ol TES nk tesx 1ce ont
jit, I ehre ce ‘Ty 0) <0 t aT
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at
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we colacthak soxd reviy
Rava onecal” to? olcasius
feng siceretienm wi tot
6
SUBLENIINGO NI HLONGI
AISLGR LS = Wier
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(Page 71)
SNOISNAWIG ONVHVNO
T# GaIIsS
>
a 7 ~ in dae mi s -_
: = ii i‘ 2
TSKuGLe IM CEMLIMEIEYe
WEIGHT PER CLAM IN GRAMS
SLIDE #2.
6.9%
——15.1%
Ce 15.1%
ie cart SA: oak eR | | | |
May Uti a ggg} jg
TIME IN MONTHS
C72
PER CENT WEIGHT GAIN ONG SEASON (SLIDE #3)
ee ae ters
si es
O Cape Shore yy)
Meso @ Ditto “8
® Jarvis Sound
ly © Surf City
id ® Raritan Bay
Fe esed® aqed 0
Ba otsid @
bawog alviet &
wii Twe o
Yet nattreh a
weignt in Grams (Slide 74+)
age in years
CAPE SHORE 47
and
JARVIS SOUND
os
RARITAN BAY
(-74-)
SLIDE #5
@ © Cape Shore
Bast ee ae
® Jarvis Sound
@ Surf City
® Raritan Bay
FE = 1-273 x Const.
S(om [See le
lt
_Final Weight _
Initial Weight
LOG
he
130 2n0
LOG INITIAL WEIGHT
Cy)
Practical Problems of the Propagation of
the Soft Shell Clam, Mya arenaria
2 2 9 ae -
Harry Wie “burners dav,
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution,
Woods Hole, Massachusetts,
ok >
The needs of the clam farmer are essentially the
same as those of the oyster grower, He must have some
sort of title to control a suitable plot of ground,
He must also have some means of seeding or populating
that ground with stocks of clams, Finally he must
have some idea as to what to expect in the way of
losses from predators, natural mortality, and destruct-
ion caused by other agencies,
In New England, clam farming has never been
developed to the same extent as has oyster growing,
It would appear that tradition and nature have con-
spired against the clam farmer to prevent him from
attaining his primary needs, The traditional idea
of free fishing in the intertidal zone has made it
very difficult for private individuals to secure con-
trol of suitable ground, In addition, factors which
control setting are unknown to that once ground is
secured, the clam farmer has no way of getting his
plov seeded) “Finally, the effects op mumerous en=
emies are difficult to evaluate since they operate
below the surface of the sand,
In 1947, several residents of the town of
Barnstable, Massachusetts obtained leases on a
barren flat in Barnstable Harbor and requested the
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution to conduct a
series of investigations on propagation and growing
of soft shell clams, A seven-acre plot, adjacent
to the leases, was set aside for experimental pur-
poses,
Two methods of populating barren areas ap-
peared promising, The first involved transplanta-
tion of contaminated stocks which could be obtained
from polluted areas at a reduced price, It was found
that transplantation could be satisfactorily effected
by simply broadcasting the clams on untreated flats,
and the majority of the clams would dig in and estab-
lish themselves quickly. It did not appear necessary
to plow or otherwise treat the surface before trans-
planting,
The second method involved treatment of the sur-
face to induce setting. There were a few records of
intense sets which occurred on new flats created as
a result of dredging operations, There was. also a
former clam grower wno claimed to have induced set-
ting by resurfacing his flat with sediments taken
from a special thatch island, Several test plots
(-76-)
; Tv
so poliageqor Dent to eeeldost Lontiostt,
Abtoiies exh mel Lier 2st er
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Maiecg. S29 Ta etn? ae suse :
a Jone “Gl eItl? Jo. s166
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Jaume YEE %e misote Wiwimiotg te
oto wew om at fui of oe agbt sue ¥en
; ? D
iipreraeh bas, po thes Seaton 2 cosaboug: gott eeazol
. =~ 5 peblionega dio NE hseuso nek
_ a . :
A) ign ‘ad? apace podcast hag”
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ayo acc az
asp) (Genk eft QF bodefaval
Pian. bie eistebest tots twema Blivoweyt
G? @pete: Bac 65? ahecyrecttie $3
af? .- wheom wiset’of ara sitinies ta
og Inhta eet. ana] ff snttkes obTy Vo
aisuS Stash odartss it Sie TIlb yey
Hout ,weli ine ft ~-,hayerg olded sie Yo Low
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ttt oh duantte J) ekDRSt bias JOLy _
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fe aved aa? to A365 Sart enayes paved ae
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: fecrot 2aWv thw ,@ott 52 =u y @ 92 costs botuiieg mott
hedpe tis: Yi foTosTale Liies cottctasigenst Sede
- gadalt Dedbe rigor s6 erg oa eee yt “lomla No
* mates trie niigth Bison “2 yritot en of? One ie
YIDETAO aN aeagee fon bib St .iefdetup aevioeaedy
eu @vetad speak off Cnet? 52 lwioll>.1o) woldes
‘7
7 °
ne!
cig oft Io Premtents Seyfovnt bodten +
shwico?t wt a otew OtatT ,enllsoe erica
ee is fyo iets -a725% wen no be rt90e moldy £4087
; eosfn gavguetl .toote tego piebhep.
alten feoulnl evict 0) Coaksig ony MOVE ee
wade? £385 { : ' > r ux 4) ;
.. were resurfaced with a variety of materials and it was
found that setting occurred on most of them. The most
satisfactory soils were composed of very fine -sediments
which‘also contained roots and other fibrous mterial,
Certain soils would induce setting but lacked physical
properties to withstand winter storms and ice, It has
-. not: been determined as yet how these new sediments in-
Me setting, but the matter is under investigation,
The problem of predators turned out to ‘be much more
serious than had been expected, It was know that certain
crabs, crab-like. organisms, and-‘boring snails subsisted
on:soft clams but there was very little information as
to how much damage these organisms actually did, Dura
ing the spring of 1948,- severe losses occurred in the
‘stocks which had been experimentally transplanted and
.. careful observations indicated that the: common. horse-
shoe crab was the responsible predator, Laboratory
tests confirmed the field observations, It. was. final-
ly determined that a large horseshoe crab could prob-
ably destroy as much as a square foot of well popula-
ted flat per day. Sinee horseshoe crabs were very
numerous it became’ apparent that clam farming could
not possibly be successful vntil methods.of protect-
ing beds could be devised, The problem of horseshoe
Ee control is now under investigation,
. It would appear that the prospect of Rercion ine
‘clam farming in Mew England is promising, Municipali-
ties are becoming less resistant to leasing barren
flats. slnere 1s a plentiful supply of seed stock an
the extensive polluted areas which will rapidly puri-
fy itself after being transplanted in clean flats,
Surface treatment to induce setting also shows promise,
If methcds of controlling predators can be devised, it
is entirely possible that the clam farmer may be able
to expect the same success as the oyster grower has
enjoyed for many years,
C27=)
ee
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- ae ‘ao totew cethare Wo coltpeninars yodeipdal No ifiveet
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,leoq edt 26 at goltcutow Mevb radw temnuc ast gah ;
ar. on _
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sith Yotaw tfae aaefo to 20.M 00d, eens Tolsone”,
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urs) f _ att One yess ac @ort sak —— tne et
: ; P ep = Rett
noftsuifog aape oF Foe
=fiv eat , bead 19 via a
treatment plant and discharges effluent about halfway be-
tween the village and the mouth of the river, The treat-~
ment plant was placed in operation about 1936. it dsean
activated sludge plant of modern design and of adequate
capacity, Samples collected at various times indicate
that it is well operated, Typical results are as follows:
Results at Riverhead Sewerage Treatment Plant
September 27, 1948
0
Raw Prim.Eff % Removed Final Eff Removed
Total Solids OSes. Daly 5 304 66
Suspended Solids 616 106 83 au 96
B.0O.D.(5 day-200°) 500 350 32 48 90
Coliform in Effluent = Maximum M,.P,N. per 100 ml. -330
Toba Bacteria an Bet. = tT per ml, 610
The river also receives the discharge from a laundry
at Riverhead, Admittedly, the discharge of untreated
laundry wastes may have some effect on the river and may
be a violation of the Conservation Law, Serious damage
to the river from this source, however, has not been de-
monstrable by laboratory tests,
The greatest source of pollution of this area is the
numerous duck farms located at various points along the
river and near its entrance to the bay, These ducks are
of the White Pekin variety and grown in large numbers dur-
ing the Spring, Summer, and early Fall. Only a relatively
few ducks are kept on the farms for breeding purposes dur-
ing the winter months, A survey of duck farms made by
this Unit in 1937 indicated some 21 farms producing more
than 1,000,000 ducks annually contributed pollution to
this area,
The sources of pollution tributary to this area may,
therefore, be summarized in order of their importance as
follows: P
. The duck farms, especially in the Summer,
. Miscellaneous sources of human pollution in
and around Riverhead,
. The Riverhead Laundry,
. The effluent from the Riverhead Sewage Treatment
Plant,
Laboratory Results
Samples of water have been collected from this area
many times, and under various conditions, since 1937.
Fourteen (14) separate surveys have been made during these
studies, It is the usual procedure to collect four samples
at each sampling station -- one at each quarter stage of
the tide, These are examined for coliform organisms and
total bacteria,
Results of these surveys show that in the Spring the
pollution is restricted to those waters adjacent to the
(79-)
© od sae Jasulr te ? 14 eo. As Jed
a Ph bead aE Se Ohiiga wit bag egcliiv
xa ghiee Sante mite aay 1 PabalG aie
9 oe staan oma - te tnd tg. onbet
ma? aeats atelqas f¢ Eieeclion wefgas!
ad O¢e se? itess Ia*iaty? Se t
J7e[48 srand
et Miu XA = ees mr eT tin.
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myst Som To eyrelesit ens yibst 1 2mbh beatta vil ja
ror Bvit ef! co wan sie te ena 4a van coveal vt dwonl
Pieeb sverias = WAL. me Martetss) pa} “o soliainty.« ad
pmed Ton gal , rere yoowloa alld woxt TwvLT Mil oJ
et pes Tres es iat ee phigtivocm .
ae : 7
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7 \
“eRe Py.
duck farms, During the Summer, this pollution ex-
tends throughout the entire area and even into
Peconic Bay, In the Fall, it recedes to the immedi-~
ate duck farm locations,
Chart I shows a’twelve-year summary of coliform
results in this area, It is interesting to note,
particularly, the vast extent of polluted waters in
the summer months,
Based upon these studies, the Department has
adopted a policy of closing the entire area during
the Summer and allowing the use of most of the area,
except around the months of the River and Meeting
House and Sawmill Creeks, during the winter months,
The Sanitary Significance of the Findings
It has generally been accepted in the past
that pollution of animal origin was not as poten-
tially dangerous as pollution of human origin, Re-
cent studies of the relationship of pathogens to
coliform in duck polluted waters, however, would
seem to require a revision in this thinking. It
appears quite obvious from these studies that duck
pollution may have considerably greater importance
from a public health angle than was previously as-
sumed, The balance of this paper will be devoted to
ae discussion of this particular aspect of the pro-
len,
Discussion of Sanitary Significance of Pollution
Prom Doclkst
Although there is no record of the presence of
the typhoid organism ever having been isolated from
waters tributary to duck farms or from duck "droppings"
themselves, there is quite an extensive literature on
the isolation of many members of the paratyphoid group
now generally known as Salmcnella, This group of
organisms is capable of producing quite wide-spread
and rapidly progressing outbreaks of intestinal dis-
ease which. in many respects, resemb7.e tynncid
fever -- the death rate from these outLreaks ex-
tending to something in the order of 6%, On the
establishment of the presence of Salmonella in
domestic ducks, Edwards+ reports or. 56 outbreaks
of Salmonelosis in ducks, from which 12 types were
isolated All of these types are recorded by
Seligman“ and Edwards3, of the National Salmonella
Centers, as having at sometimes been associated with
outbreaks in humans, The pathogenicity of Salmonella
originating from ducks is further demonstrated by
Mallam+, Scott5, and Snapper©, who cite cases of
human Salmonellosis resulting from the ingestion of
ducks' eggs or products prepared from ducks! eggs,
(-80-)
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TABLE I
ISOLATION OF SALMONELLA FROM WATERS TRIBUTARY TO DUCK FARMS
Coliform Volume of
Date “Station MeN Salmonella Isolated _Sampte
872748 5,1, Flanders 4,600,000 S. bredeney, S. give 10 ml.
6/8/48 Be 2, Flanders 2,400,000 S; bredeney NOemy;
Bea iee 2 2. Flanders "930, 000 6S; bredeney 100 ml,
8/2748 5. 2. Flanders 4 ,600, 000 S; bredeney 10 ml:
9/27/48 2 DB Flanders 2 "4.00, 000 6S, bredeney LO Mma,
7/12/48 5,2A, Flanders 930,000 S; typhi-muriun, 10 ml,
S, bredeney
Oyster ;
7/12/48 4,1, Flanders 24,000 S, typhi-murium 10 ml.
9/27/48 Saw Mill Creek 11,000,000 S; Typhi-murium LO) mma);
9/27/48 Saw Mill Creek 460, 600 S, typhi-muriun 10 ml.
6/8/48 8.6 Peconic 2,100 s, bredeney, LO smi.
River S, anatum
TABLE cam
ISOLATIONS OF SALMONELLA FROM WATER ee FROM DUCK
Fahls IN MORICHES ava ARTA
Samples "eollesten May 10, 1949.
Coliform Volume of
Sample # Farm M, P,N, Salmonella Isolated Sample Sample Tested
1S135 A 9,300,000 S; anatum ml.
S, typhi-murium mes,
18136 B 9,300,000 S, meleagridis ml,
S. bredeney (4 isolations) 10 ml,
18137 C 930,000 S, typhi-murium 10 mi.
18138 D 15,000,000 S, typhi-murium 1Oemds
18139 E 2,400,000 none isolated 100 & 10 ml,
(=53-)
iat ae peti
2 lepinlt ar jenn
‘otem pari “a, NEN
ae PF HNAKA
Te, A) rept
OBE
ee ALU Ri
aa Ae ete 3 pr, OE 2 2 agc8e
me it nif rite Matt .2 000,08 . a REFRE
me OL murs MANGE, y= fys3 9009 es G ELOL |
Te Of & Got bainieel shoa 000,000 2 OFtBE
TABLE III
INCIDENCE OF SALMONELLA TYPES ISOLATED IN INFECTIONS OF
MAN AND DUCKS
ek kK
Man_
Edwards
No, No, No,
fyoe. Outbreaks Cases Fatalities
Total = Ada Types 1677 egrg_ ~~ 56
S, typhi-nuriun S57) 169 12
S; derby ie) 126 1
S, bredeney 16 3h. O
S, panama 73 124 4
S; give 36 25 O
S; anatun 64 165 1
S, meleagridis 16 13 ©)
Man i Ducks
Seligman? No, Edwards
No No, No,
Type Outbreaks cases __ ‘Fatalities Qutbreaks
Total All types gue1 1107 57)
S, typhi-muriun 307) 356 22 32
S, derby 3h. ay a a
S; bredeney 4. 4 Oo 2
&; panama L6 oy, 1 1
S. give 27 7 fe) 2
S; anatum hg 64 1 8
S, meleagridis 3} - als O 0
Seok iG Fake Gk Gc aoe ke cima make Wok ok peor
REFERENCES
2. WP. (Rifidwards 7D. iW. Brunee, ana A.B Moran
Further Studies on the Occurrence and Distribution
of Salmonella Tyves in the United States,
J. Infectious Diseases $3 220-231 (1948)
2, E, Seligman, I, Saphra, and M, Wasserman
Salmonella Infections in the United States,
J, Immunology 24 54 69 (1946)
J 37) eb Ra Edwards, 0; Weaebrunem, jande A. Bo oran
Salmonella Infections orf Fowls
Cornell Veterinarian 38 247 (1948)
= OCC CR SEE Etti(itsSSSS
WINTER- HIGH TIDE aaeenert Jamesport
: = 4 VA aie WINTER LOW} TIDE ee i)
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Wf E : 4 A f
, / = (ee amogue Pt. - a a)
4 Sr ope * Bil
i ' a 1
: a >.) _
he ee - BS Cae ll er
he’ a oe a ug Sal 7 : .
> 4 B.S ,~ i ar on 7 -
(TASS SS) | ae “ss RITNY SAF HID =e aN)
3 :
PRELIMINARY UBSIEKVALLONS/ UF ‘THIS PREDATION 7 YAU,
OF COMMERCIAL SHELLFISH BY CONCHS
Heo Heisk skis
Melbourne Rh) Carriker, Ph. Di,
Zoology Department, Rutgers University and
New Jersey Oyster Research Laboratory.
INTRODUCTION
Baymen from many estuaries along the northeastern
coast of the United States credit the conchs (Busycon
of oysters on native bay bottoms, Thus conchs capt-~
ured by them in their tonging and dredging operations
are thrown up on banks to perish or are destroyed in
some other way, Colton (1908), an early investiga-
tor of bivalve predation by these conehs, from obser-=
vations of these snails in marine aquaria, concluded
that they may not be as serious a pest to the oyster-
men as previously reported, In view of this variance,
it seemed desirable to make further investigations
which will ultimately indicate the extent of such pre-
dation, particularly on commercial shellfish. The pre
sent report is concerned with a study of conchs in
captivity; studies of the conch in its native habitat
are anticipated for the coming summer,
METHODS
These studies were begun in the fall of 1947 and
were carried out in the Rutgers University Vivarium in
a number of 10 gallon marine aquaria, These tanks were
connected in series with large siphons permitting the
circulation of the sea water by means of a Simple air
lift pump placed at one end of the chain of aquaria,
Further aeration was provided by the release of com-
pressed air into each tank through thin cross sections
of wooden dowel, Sand used in some of the aquaria was
obtained at a local ocean beach, Clean bay water was
collected in Shark River Basin, and in the Vivarium
aquaria ranged in salinity in the course of the obser-
vations from 26,4 to 28.59/00, Water temperatures
ranged from 63 to 77°F, Hydrogen ion concentration
was found to drop after a time from approximately
8.0 to 6.0 as organic wastes accumulated in the water;
sodium bicarbonate was added to return the pH to ap-
proximately 7.5. No filter was required in the cir-
culating sea water system since the numerous shell-
fish used to feed the conchs provided excellent na-
tural fiditrativons 6cix,conchs, 4 knobbed (8B, caries)
and 2 channeied (B, canaliculatus)collected in Great
Baya Nie de ands in Peconic) Bay. Long Usdand, N.Y,
were used in the study, The conchs ranged in length
from 2,7 to 6.2 inches and during the course of the
observations in the last year added a maximum of 0.5
inch of shell at the ouver lip, Conditions im the
aquaria were sufficiently favorable to permit oysters
(~86-)
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¢ Adc lol ie i 7s Vi a e ——-_ =
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and quahaugs to add as much as 0,2 inch of new shell.
The shellfish used in feeding the conchs were obtained
in Shark River, with the exception of the oysters which
were collected in Delaware,
OBSERVATIONS
METHOD OF PENETRATION OF SHELLFISH BY THR CONCH,
Copeland (1918) has shown that the conch responds
very quickly to the blood of a fresh oyster, This mark-
ed response is observed again in the readiness with
which a conch will locate an oyster or even a clam buried
in the sand in an aquarium, The snails creep at a rela-
tively fast rate, attracted by the water pumped from the
excurrent siphon of the bivalves, Nor are shellfish
such as quahaugs which normally occur buried shallowly
in the bottom, safe, since conchs readily dig them out,
It is not known whether they can dig up such deeply
buried molluscs as adult clams,
Colton (1908) observed that these conchs will
penetrate and consume such shellfish as quahaugs,
mussels, oysters, razor clams and soft clams, Magal-
haes (1948) found that in North Carolina’ these conchs
consumed 8 additional kinds of shellfish, Colton's
findings were confirmed in the course of the present
observations, It was also noted that they consume
such molluscs as the soft clam (Mya_arenaria), in
which portions of the soft parts are unprotected by
the valves, merely by tearing out the flesh bit by
bit until the valves are clean, Such thin-shelled bi-
valves as the edible mussel (Mytilus edulis) are en-
veloped by the foot of the conch to the extent per-
mitted by the size of the conch foot and of the mussel,
leaving the portion of the mussel valves farthest from
the hinge exposed and oriented directly under the outer
lip cf the snail shell, The conch by contracting the
columellar muscle (that muscle connecting the foot
with the shell at a point within the shell spire) then
very slowly and forcibly brings its outer lip to bear
between the bills of the mussel, This pressure either
forces apart or chips off a portion of the valves,
The curvature of this part of the conch shell : 5; in
spreading the mussel valves, and the concavity tne
valves leaves a ready entrance for the conch prcboscis,
In one experiment 3 conchs were placed in an a uarium
with an assorted collection of -shellfish.. Within 10
minutes each of the conchs had a mussel enclosed in
its foot; 4 1/2 hours later the 3 conchs had opened
and consumed 7 mussels (0,9-1.2 inches long), 1 clam
(0.8 inch), 1 ‘razor clam (2 inches) and I quahaug
(1.6 inches), Throughout, the conchs showed a decided
tendency to prey upon the thiner-shelled molluscs
Pas Ge :
(=87-—)
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As Colton has pointed out and as confirmed in
these observations,: the conchs readily attack oys-
ters, A conch creeps onto one valve of an oyster,
again, in such a manner as to bring the outer lip
of its shell directly over the bills of the oyster,
ihe oyster at first closes its valves tightly, then
opens them gradually, inadvertently permitting the
conch to thrust its shell between the valves, The
curvature of the conch shell when pressed between
the oyster valves pries the valves apart; the conch
then introduces its proboscis under the protection
Of Jts own shell and eats its £711,” Inspection, of
oysters opened by conchs in many instances reveals
very little if any cetectable chipping of the bills,
If a portion of the oyster valve is broken away, a
conch will not attempt to pry the valves open but
will introduce the proboscis directly. The ventral
surface of the foot of the conch secretes a highly
viscous mucus while attached to prey and this may
play a part in the great effectiveness of the conch
foot in retaining its hold, Magalhaes incorrectly
suggests that this mucus is probably saliva, A
conch once attached to a bivalve is not easily
driven off, In these experiments bivalves to which
conchs were adhering were moved about, and the conchs
themselves were handled, with no effect on the conchs
other than to cause them to bring their shells down
more closely over the foot, From the point of food
conservation, the method of feeding employed by
conchs has much in its favor, since in small bivalves
the snail foot almost entirely envelopes the bivalve
so that none of the flesh is lost and potential poa-
chers are kept away, In the case of larger bivalves,
although the foot does not entirely envelope the
animal, the conch's shell is wedged between the
valves thus affording considerable protection
against raids by other animals,
Of all shellfish, the quahaug-like bivalves
offer the greatest resistance to the predation of
conchs, and yet these are also readily opened and
consumed, It is in the penetration of the quahaug
that the conch displays best its highly specialized
mechanical method of opening shellfish, The conch
mounts the quahaug and holds it, as Colton express-
ed it, “an“tire hollow tor “2ts=foot™, so orrented Chae
the bills of the quahaug lie directly under the outter
lip of the conch shell, Then the conch, by very slowly
and strongly contracting the columellar muscle, brings
the margin of its own shell to bear on the slight de-
pression present between the junction of the two qua-~
heug valves, and presses against the edge of the qua-
haug vaive farthest from it, Such pressure is suf-"
ficient to chip a portion of the quahaug valve away.
The conch then slowly relaxes its columellar muscle
and draws its shell margin back from the bills of
the quahaug. This slow chipping away of the quahaug
bills continues until an opening of sufficient size
is made to permit the conch to wedge its shell margin
(-88-)
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between the quahaug valves. Warren (1916) recorded a
rate of chipping of 6 times per minute, During this
chipping attack the conch occasionally ceases its
Slow hammering to check the extent of damage inflicted:
the rim of the anterior portion of the foot, held just
under the bill of the valve to which the conch is at-
tached, is brought over the damaged area and numerous
tiny lobe-like projections of this rim are passed back
and forth over the erroded shell as if in examination,
If the pressure from the conch is severe enough to
crack off a large opening, as often happens, or if one
or both of the quahaug valves crack from the pressure
exerted by the quahaug in an attempt to keep its valves
closed, as occasionally happens, the conch makes no
attempt to wedge its shell between the valves, How-
ever, more commonly it takes repeated chipping to ex-
pose a small opening, The conch attempts to wedge its
Shell between the valves as soon as an opening suf-
ficiently large to permit penetration is chipped, Some
victims, for example, showed chipped holes only 0,197
inch in width, The bluntness of the conch shell margin
also determines the size of hole necessary for penetra-
tion of the conch shell; and this bluntness varies from
time to time as considerable wear of the conch shell
takes piace during attack, The conch apparently adds
new shell during resting periods at which time it
generally remains buried in the bottom, Such rest
periods have extended as long as 16 days in aquaria,
Thus the conspicuous indented nature of the lines of
shell growth along the- body whorl of the conch shell
are explained on the basis of the periodic erosion
which occurs during attacks, It happens in some in-
stances that the chipping of the quahaug valves re-
sults not in the formation of an opening but in the
smoothing off of the quahaug bill, particularly of
the valve edge farthest from the conch, and/or in the
formation of an opening which is too small to permit
wedging. In such cases the conch eventually deserts
the quahaug, In one such instance a conch worked al-
ternately between two quahaugs for 7 days without pene-
trating either, and finally deserted them, Out of 37
quahaugs which were placed with one large conch in one
experiment, 15 quahaugs were opened and 10 were attack-
ed but could not be opened, In only 2 cases in these
observations did a quahaug victim show two areas of
attack, in which apparently the first attack failed,
and then the conch returned on a subsequent day ina
second attack which was successful,
In 31 quahaugs opened in one series of observations
by conchs it was noted that 52% of the sites of attack
were located posteriorly over the siphons, 27% over
the midventral region, and 21% over the anterior por-
tion of the quahaug opposite the siphon, It is sug-
gested that the selection of the sites of attack may
be influenced by the flow from the excurrent siphon
of the quahaug,
(-89-)
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>: ® i
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wil Wa ry
It was reported to me by members of the crew of
the "Quinnipiac" during a trip on Peconic Bay, Long
Island, that in the course of examining the mterial
pumped off the bay bottoms and passed down the con-
veyer they had observed two cases in which large conchs
Still affixed to quahaugs and with proboscides extend-
ed into the quahaugs also had the operculum wedged
between the quahaug valves, The use of the operculum
in this way has not been observed during these experi-
ments; it may well be a further means of facilitating
penetration,
It was interesting to note that although shell-
fish are helpless against conchs, small sea anemonies
on these shellfish are not as ready victims: one oys-
ter on which a conch was creeping held a small sea
anemone, As the foot came close to the anemone that
portion of the foot nearest the coelenterate was sud~
denly withdrawn, The conch approached several times,
each time retracting, Eventually it passed over the
anemone, carefully elevating that portion of the foot
over the anemone, Apparently, the nematocysts shot
out by the anemone were effective defense,
Colton in his brief description of how quahaugs
are opened by ccnchs, wrote that there are three ways
in which penetration is effected: "First, it may
flatten out its proboscis so that it will ¢o throug
the crack; secondly, it may pour in a secretion be-
tween the valves which kills the clam; and thirdly,
it may wedge its shell between the valves." The
first and third ways mentioned by Colton agree with
the observations herein reported; however, there is
no evidence (nor did Colton present any) substantia-
ting his statement that the conch may pour a secre-
tion into the prey to kill it, nor Magalhaes'? sug-~
gestion that the conch may initiate digestion ex-
ternally, On the contrary, there is evidence against
such a statement: in some of the attacked but unopen-
ed quahaugs, holes as large as 0,4 x 0,47 inch were
left and yet apparently no secretion had been poured
into the quahaugs since they were vigorous healthy
animals weeks later, Some observers believe that
the valves of shellfish are pulled apart by suction
of the foot, However, Magalhaes has shown that a
pull of + to 6 pounds is sufficient to dislodge a
conch firmiy attached to a surface, whereas Reese
(1942) has estimated that a force of 23 to 26 pounds
is necessary to force open a quahaug.
Extent _of Conch Predation on Shellfish in
y. in the first feeding experiment all 6
conchs were placed in an aquarium of slate botton,
23) x 12 iaches*s jcoverca wich about /2 einen or
sand, in the vresence of numerous quahaugs and edi-~
ble mussels, ani a few salt oysters, razor clams
and soft clams, The temperature of the water re-
mained in the vicinity of 65°F, and the salinity,
20-)
28°/oo, In the course of 23 days the following shell-
fish were opened and consumed:
Edible mussels (Mytilus edulis), 0.6-1.6 inches Long 69
Quahaugs (Venus mercenaria), 0, 8-2 7.
Clams (Mya — Foti 3
Razor Clam (Ensis), 2 inches long ele
: 50
Shellfish consumed per conch per week ...c.ccccces a)
Conspicuous here is the fact that between the qua-
haugs and the mussels which were present in large num-
bers, the conchs made greater inroads on the mussels,
In a second experiment the 5 smaller conchs were
placed in the same aquarium with an excess of oysters
of various sizes, Ina period of 99 days from December
29th to April 7th these conchs opened and consumed the
following Ostrea virginica:
Ostrea Size Range, - Longest Dimension Number Consumed
Of=0. 7 inene SSR el. | ane See wr Pe 28
OF 8-151 inch wae 5 Smite ere ; Oleh “OleOroe De on g
Pre=sad. inch eo 16) 6. @, @ “@.. "6 @. (6, (@% 16) em (ey a.emne 22
59
Or one oyster consumed per conch every 8 days.
In a third experiment the same 5 smaller conchs
were placed in the same aquarium with an excess of oys-
ters-of Various) S6izes.= Ineay periods Grom, Aprad Graco
May 8th for the 5 smaller conchs, and April 25th to
May 8th when the larger conch was added to the tank, or
a total of 163 conch days, these conchs opened and con-
e@ sumed the following Ostrea virginica:
O:4-0:7 inch, Dio O00) 5 Oo OF oO dG Gt: 0 3c 338)
0,8-1.1 inch Oooo oO ooo oO oa" 6 & GO 18
1,2-2,6 inch © @) Fo et ve ne NetPhelt om Kouze one 12
63
Number of oysters consumed per conch per week 2,7
The threefold increase in consumption of oysters
in the second period may be attributed to the increase
in the temperature of the water, In the first oyster
Speen above the temperature of the water remained
between 64: and 68°F,, whereas in the second experiment
the temperature remained between 68 and 75°F., or ene
In a fourth and final experiment it was hoped to
check the extent of predation of quahaugs that were
permitted to bury in sand, since in the previous ex-
periments the shellfish were lying directly on the
bottom, exposed to the conchs, The largest conch
(Busycon carica) was placed alone in an aquarium with
slate bottom 2 x 1 feet in area covered with appr oxi-
mately 2,5 inches of beach sand, Thirty-seven quahaugs
C9i-)
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/* eforaiay
TOXIC EFFECTS OF OIL MIXED WITH
CARBONIZED SAND ON AQUATIC ANIMAIS,
- -by- -
Walter A, Chipman,Jr., and Paul S. Galtsoff
U, S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
a a ke 3 2k 2k
(A paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Nation-~
al Shelilfisheries Association at’ Old Point Comfort,
Virginia, on June 9, 1949.)
3k 3 2k
Oil pollution of inshore coastal waters is a prob-
lem of major importance for the conservation of our
quatic resources, Aside from being destructive to
aquatic animals and plants, oil and other organic
liquids floating on the water area great nuisance to
such recreational activities as boating and bathing
and create a serious fire hazard, especially around
piers and other structures built of creosoted wood,
After a damaging fire at the Norfolk Naval Ship-
yard, resulting from the accidental ignition of oil
floating on the water, the Chemical Laboratory of the
shipyard undertook a comprehensive study of the exist-
ing methods of removal of oil slicks and began a search
for better ones, The experimenters of the Navy found
that a carbonized sand can be prepared simply and
cheaply by roasting creosote and sand in a specially
designed kiln and that this has remarkably good organo-
philic and hydrophobic qualities, The sand, with its
carbon coating, is sprayed on the surface of an oil
slick, Coming in centact with oil, the carbon coating
forms a stable bond with the oi1, The mixture may
then be readily removed, If on the surface of the
water, the combined sand and oil may be sunk by a
stream of water under pressure or by some other method
of agitation, The bonding of the oil and carbon sur-
face of the sand is permanent and an oil slick thus
treated remains anchored on the bottom,
A popular account and graphic story of this new
way of removal of oil slicks appeared in "Life"
(1947, Vol. 23, No, 19), The caption to one of the
photographs accompanying this article stated that the
submerged sludge "is lethal to most marine life", Since
there was no corroborative evidence of the toxicity of
oil bound by carbonized sand, the United States Navy,
through its Bureau of Ships, asked the cooperaticn Ol
the Fish and Wildlife Service in a study of the prob-
lem, The present report summrizes the results of the
experiments conducted in compliance with this requesc.
Oils discharged into coastal waters do not remain
floating indefinitely, They are absorbed by particu-
late matter suspended in the water. Agitation Ole eae
water by currents and wave action helps tne settling
of the oil=saturated material on the bottom, but the
oil slick is not securely fixed and may be carried to
(02~)
w.
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we ee Sieth SC) ST VGetop Io, aapeegosodg:
+ Bey = Gs is ’ Satara be utouds
¥gt § » af 5% z ; ae ;
90.4: te (ORK! te weet not
tos a? bd. Vy os if serems oe BREW hb
i FP cslpagy o ‘ORS ou, J Maps Savoy of
P70 d4/ ott Atty eadalignes 2: bed eur :
7 Oy 4 a += ~ 26 POs 4 aS sJitad
=
MY ob erotev Latagon ont boytatos
ve beirde oie yort .etesinete
eS oaetke lak 4 wataw ait mt be ieesoee
SOU. Hy 5 fou aly: » erry Ua y ere ;
aOTIGd Of oo Lelieseg Dadauc
700 ve hy tonsa,
distant places, This characteristic behavior and its
importance in aquatic life has been emphasized by
Nelson (1925) and Gowanloch (1925),
Injury caused to ducks and other water birds
by oi1 floating on the water is well-known, since
many instances have been recorded of the finding of
oil-smeared birds unabile to fly (Lincoln, 1936; Adam,
1936). Likewise sedentary animals living within
the tidal zone and coming in direct contact with
oil may be destroyed,
The toxicity of oil in sea water, due to
water soluble substances extracted from oil has
been demonstrated many times experimentally using
fishes and marine invertebrates, (Seydel, 1913;
Nelson, 1925; Roberts, 1926; Gardiner, 1927;
Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Argi-
culture and Fisheries, Joint Committee on Damages
to Fisheries, 1930; Gowanloch, 1934; Galtsoff
et al., 1935; Galtsoff, 1936; Veselow, 1948; and
others), ba
Since there is convincing evidence of the
leaching out of toxic substances from oils pre-
sent in sea water, it is desirable to ascertain
whether the combination of oil with carbonized
sand would alter this action, The combination
may either lessen the toxicity of the oil, or
it may increase it by bringing the poisonous oil
closer to the bottom-dwelling forms, permanently
anchoring it there, and allowing a slow and con-
tinued extraction.
For our study we selected for experimen-
tal animals such forms that would normally live
attached to submerged objects, or on the bottom
in estuaries and harbors where this type of pollu-
tion is most, apt =to soceur, *Werchosic@in=par ecu
animals of known economic importance, but also in-
cluded others which aptly land themselves to the
experimental procedures desired, We used the follow-
ing organisms: the hydrosoan Tubularia crocea, which
grows attached to pilings and docks; the barnacle
a very common form growing abundantly on rocks and
structures near low tide mark; the embryos of the
dwelling fishes in harbors and bays which attach-
es its large eggs to wood, rocks, and other sub-
merged Yobyiec ts; “the hard “shel? clam Venus
mercenaria, which inhabits the mud flats; and
tne oyster Ostrea virginica, found on rocks and on
the bottom in all coastal waters,
The oils tested were supplied by the Navy,
these included crude oil, Navy Grade Special Fuel
Oil, lubricating oil (SAE 20), and Diesel oil,
(-94-)
>=
ass we) : Of Thre fo ra * peal y Snsteeh
YD M ‘ | aD ¥ Ce B opru Mroqor _
: . ) doetiawot tee (28er) noekott.
7 ‘J P
| oe Se ay ir he OF) Occitier earl nt - .
| 1 SA sw aO TY tte ed :
: 7 - ola Eni gee vt Vou OFnr weniasantl yas ..
; ! ge fi f i I eg roe) tid | Cor mou a=flo H
- : s - fiw oar, fm « de a? Q . q
io ait y vt ies o% Alte _ : » (CECE
iL ‘“ ? _ » a OO: St . Betis ytd mg
Paes ant it et tem Llo
a , -
OF, apih raveyv nae? Eis 2 ts Laggs} er
? ‘ Py ° oy i, a vi 4k Pigs fj -
, ee ra Aer: arity Prey: Cit a8 oe
‘ ‘eS, bl rk al tA OS SaVELID ty ai aa 7an ae
‘ o¢ : 7 yt aa ? v a. 9 ate
=" _' Lie wv Ps ‘ : =r 5 oe eT on se
a4 (ih te ae St aay Pp’. P ; ‘=i Got A464) 7 ¥ (PE: =!
aia Lie, Sisto pa f > a an poe
1 eis hs it Pra if * r. ra ‘pat err ag
: we ( Seesy (CECt 4 tIAn Es aren
- ,
et petite ue >be 2: 1) Res ich to
BoM len oF stoasiges «i v= pwitoW pon mt Fe
ate Sige Giv Sip 390 sttfatiecs eft) duite
a re oo pili an Ev bz ? ‘ts 6loow- Sy
: i: ony To yeielsa? > Jereel vette
3
fle euccg MoT SUF wihanied Us St ateeeent yn 3
‘ s h : 4b , =a
Tato aif TNE amit mill eub-eeriodg wiv of swae
“mh Sct wt S piswise ine ,6-5,0. 7) gtitods
4 -@¢ @=
‘MOLT ORTI RO Beosmat
daters
per hour a toxic effect becomes apparent after 48 hours
if 5 ml. or more of oil mixed with sand are placed in
the immediate vicinity of Tubularia in a 2=1iter jar.
The results comparing different oils show that
lubricating oil was least toxic, while crude oil ap=
peared to be the most toxic,;.. The toxicity of the
crude oil apparently resulted from something leached
from the oil by water, for extracts were found to be
toxic to Eubularia,
EXPERIMENTS WITH BARNACIES, Balanus balancides(Ag,)
Adult barnacles can be conveniently used in
toxicological tests, The barnacles can be easily
arranged in a desired position in the experimental
set-up, The erfect of a toxic substance can be
studied by observing and timing the sweeping of their
cirri. In running sea water or in containers in which
the water is renewed daily, they remain active and
apparently in good condition in the laboratory ioe
many days and weeks,
The test performed clearly demonstrated the toxic
effect of crude oil and sand mixtures placed in the
immediate vicinity of barnacles, A slowing of the cirri
(~95-)
‘ Ae i
Twa. 2] decays ad van i
= ri = 7 Re he j } ( t 19 y, 1 i * Bee ene) e° 7
PRRST 4) wh ae a¢. ) we wr & peu
i i ¢ ye ‘ it . ae
of 4 fh ay ‘ Poe ry a mal j y," om
Pye ee
ARIUS 2 hha E i (‘he eres + te mde bas
i i oh ay ¢ | pal , te
wes 5 ° ’ - ~
: y ¢ ae 4 ib : a4
ar? A iq Thee LAs wee ae | “TOS Kiya:
ort r aie id LO aet a. oar ee. CL opel Bie’
‘ PY Pan rae See TATA Chelate Bs Suen of Ta ae ioe)
/ ey My bene? ry tae ey yee 7 ;
PY te Me SHreeee thie it ntont, aniges
MT tie id : FR rs i: ee 2 ie ye"
AAR cn | . i re j J '
7 : j a : @ fe
: j ia AA be F abo os m oy ban fase
oUt gi Lak ENS bik 3n zr toh a
iv ba com | 0 BiG © 4s Ane «@ r yy
any i oe byl ) ae hs » ey 1
aniniotet hie Ww ae AS
ban a |
ti ine Sse w® yn lted avi
ar , As ay 6 iy s LAgr ri 4¢t ore 4 uty tavtad
RSE giathrane Yesew coe sity Ak
de al Sm £ite 7 hitey io “silt
ox ani D wees < a Kw Ae Faeety *t 3
“ihe MOD a : id rl ra é [ os K > - 2 il ul
rey lie beecgediivc they joule Lbs
> Selby. A “@ 4 ‘ .
a wre yh i ‘ q = ;
y ¥iens <—\- LEP | mS 2 igi
: Biti ae ¢, of Porky
ad =« ‘ ' . oi } Mii
is = 2) WOT) @ I< a; Fn
ar - 4 i} I PE bel * Ab r »%
+l f4a% tw ulcod A one
‘
“ | etiy I tT eT) .in = 4
O oT, we ’ y
£ g aa 2a) ¥ kegs YT eIesE Pr ¢ is
: > .
Clio soe ED Stha raw .aecueet et}
ease BIT 1 ots l 5
: ms 22 lx97 AT: a kyo?
r dea i 4 Oya. F
¢ toa ae)
a
Vi2 ane |d S OO!) 6sgraed aett
Isdne=?t4qx0 i> ht nope twee
: 9 ’ (30 @& oJ Dit
vf pirtavaws ath onitgut? te
“eViton alene tartt
fw
107
Lat Aen
Sk .calsansad
7 7 i i. een
Vane O"
» Fignee we Tst Hs
CL Poke “litte loyuses ef apo
oike? a W s4o% ted!
Oadites AQ6 "i 16 402 aw ne
' vr¢ oily Dawns et
Vv inteveds! i on7 mt ins tite
arr aja Et eto o eftaols bewcansog seh
pret Gy See Drwask ite ; > ‘oe i
oer an’ = spa? ee
4 \y i , eri "es tow rior)
Surpteees 22 olmor
puryrrege. Yo}
7 ade ul
“A nfo ee
nD
9.
was observed within 6 hours in the weakest concentra-
tion tried, 1:50, Poisoning was progressive and com-
plete death of 80 to 90% of the barnacles took place
Within 70 hours,
EXPERIMENTS WITH TOADFISH EMBRYOS, Opsanus tau Linn,
Toadfish embryos present excellent material for
bioassay; they are large, fairly transparent, and
are attached by egg membranes to pieces of wood, stone,
shells, and similar objects, Normally they are quite
active in the laboratory jars and the beating of
their hearts and the circulation of blood can be easily
observed with adequate illumination and suitable op-
tical equipment,
Crude oil mixed with carbonized sand was found
to be quite toxic, Even the lowest concentration of
1:200 was sufficiently toxic to kill all the embryos
in il days, The mortality of embryos in’water with
greater quantities of oil was more rapid, If the
log of the survival time is plotted against the log
of concentration, the toxicity curve approximate a
Straight line, The lincar relationship obtained by
such plotting can be approximately represented by
a general equation of type_y = a x° and the constants :
a and c may be computed from the empirical data,
The relative toxicity of the different oils
mixed with carbonized sand was ascertained, Crude
oil added in the ratio of 1:40 killed three out of
five test embrvos within 474 hours, Toxicity of
Diesel oil was noticeable within 52 hours in the
concentration of 1:20, while lubricating oil was
ineffective even in the concentration or 1:10
(50 hours).
EXPERIMENTS WITH HARD SHELL CLAMS,
Venus mercenaria Linn,
The hard shell clam, chosen for experiments
because of its economic value, is frequently found
in polluted bottoms of harbors and bays, Because
of their ability to close themselves within their
shell, clams, like oysters, are capable of slewing
down their activities to a’ low minimum for rather
protracted periods of time, In this way they may
reduce the immediate effect of unfavorable condi-
tions:
In the one experiment performed, the sea
water supply to the clams flowed at the rate of
21 liters per hour through containers containing
20 mi, Of sanvoi” orean~ oll “and “sand mixture,
None of the clams died during the 123 days of the
test in the sea water containing crude oil, fuel
ol), Diesel ol, or Jubricating oit or mixtures of
these oils with carbonized sand, There was no evi-
dence of their weakening,
(=6—))
a ~—— ET ee ee
CO Te EIS SHREYA TS ES RELL IL SIE a EN I LET TT Oe Te eT PE ee Se RE ene
s a _
’ c : : ‘ q . Jo 264W Vs
Tye / | yi > we nor ; :
i]
ite mf
' 3 ea) mataek aaa seat
— | asend OY SLUIE
i]
)Piperes >
GOW hie
2 meee 4 acest feos cenusk
te a EO
a 0 + aot: ¥. Sa',
= w 7
am pf = Se € = ¥ @ ui
Saletan ic
abit er ae oa : J i i " halle
Pr fae ‘tes ‘xputte Yo fleapaad ‘tetettog ri
| peer ta sini &
SAFI ~stats _fior
Petites tod} oa 3
“Soiten Sod otic
a _
STs.) Bao eno wl.
a, At at etyqus te:
writs 1 ad 0c 33 xs
ie a wile 2 ht
2 si/tal bepp' amar.
A Rade te a!
¥w7ete Yo iso ot hxehet
0 4 atont Ae, be atat
4@ iE
Rang! a
EXPERIMENTS WITH OYSTERS, Ostrea virginica gm.
Because of its great economic importance, the
oyster has been studied more than most marine inverte-
brates, Consequently its physiology, habits, and life
history are better known than other lamellibranchs,
Living attached to rocks or lying on the bottom it is
frequently affected by oil wastes discharged into waters,
Having no means of moving from unfavorable environments, ©
the oyster protects itself by tightly closing its valves,
If the inimical condition persists, the oyster is even-
tually damaged or killed,
Tests of the toxicity to oysters were made of
standing water to which were added crude oil in a ;
dilution of 1:500 and Diesel oil in strengths of 1:200,
and similar strengths in which the oils were sunk to
the bottom mixed with carbonized sand, In the test
with Dissel oil the first death occurred on the third
day with an oil layer on the surface, and on the fourth
day in the aquarium with the oil and sand mixture, By
the end of the test on the 13th day, the mortality was
67 per cent in the test with oil on the surface against
25 per cent with the oil treated with carbonized sand,
There was no mortality among the control oysters, Ex-
periments with crude’oil added in the ratio of 1:500
gave similar results, In these first death was ob-
served in the ninth day and the mortality was less pro-
nounced, due probably to the small quantity of oil
used,
In experiments with oysters kept in large tanks
of running sea water and exposed to a mixture of crude
oil and carbonized sand, no toxicity was observed in
35 days of the test, It was found that 500 mi, onset
introduced into a water system running at the rate of
180 liters per hour and anchored by carbonized sand
were insufficient to cause mortality or to inhibit
the growth of the shells of adult oysters,
The maintenance of a steady fllow of water through
the gills of an oyster is essential for its feeding
and respiration, The measurement of the rate of
filtration of water is a very sensitive means of study-
ing the effect of changes in the environment of the
oyster, for the organism rapidly reacts to the pre-
sence of toxic substances which may be introduced into
natural waters, Methods are available at present for
measuring the efficiency of the ciliated mechanism
concerned with pumping alone or for obtaini.g the over-
all picture cf the function of the entire "urping sys-=
tem involving also the mantle and shell, “Zxperiments
were performed with each method, the former known as
the carmine--cone technique and the latter the apron
method (see Galtsoff, et.al.,, 1947).
It is impossible in this short paper to describe
in detail the numerous experiments performed and the
results observed using the various oils, these oils
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mixed with carbonized sand, and extracts of these
o1iS in experiments in the physiology of oysters,
We conclude from the various tests we performed
that there was a realease of physiologically ac-
tive substances which suppress the activity of
the ciliated epithelium of the gills of the oys-
ter and that the anchoring of oil by carbonized
sand does not prevent this release,
Sau MoM Ack Wy
We found that crude oil, Diesel oil, and
Navy Grade fuel oil added to sea water are toxic
to the various animals normally inhabiting estu-
arine environments, the more sensitive forms be-
ing killed rather promptly when compared to the
forms known to be more hardy, The toxicity of
these oils is apparent whether ‘they are present
as oil slicks on the surface of the water or are
held on the bottom bound to carbonized sand, This
toxicity results from material leached out of the
oil by water, The oyster responds to relatively
weak concentrations of the toxic materials leach-
ed from oil by a marked reduction in the amount
of water filtered for respiration and feeding and
a decrease in the number of hours open,
There is definite advantage in the use of
carbonized sand in treating oil slicks for its
localizes the oil pollution, prevents the spread
of oil over the surface of water, and submerges
and permanently anchors the oil near the source
of pollution, In view of the fact that bottoms
of harbors and bays near inductrial ports are
grossly polluted and non-productive, the sinking
of oi1 in these localities will not increase the
damages to the fisheries,
Dusting with carbonized sand is a highly
efficient method of removal of oil from the sur-
face of the water, It is useful around docks and
piers to combat fire hazards and also has distinct
advantage in preventing the movement of oil slicks
to productive areas where great injury to sea food
resources may occur, We hope that the method will
be adapted in some way to have more general use in
combatting oil pollution in coastal waters,
(-93-)
LITERATURE CITED
ADAM, N. K,. :
1936, The pollution of the sea and shore by oil,
22 pp. London; Harrison and Sons, Ltd,
GALTISOFF, P.S.
1936. "proc, North American Wildlife Conferences,
Feb, Bei 1936, Ppp. 550-555.
GALTSOPE, VP sS.50PRETEERCH, He Bic SME eR Os andys ©
KOEHRING, Mie Os oy. Bail U. s, Bur , Fish, 48:142:210,
GALTSOBM) (Peo (CHUPMAN 5) dirs aWiguve ENGLE, J.B: and
CALDERWOOD, lal N. 194-7, Fish, Bull yor the Fish and
Wildlife "Service 51:59: Ten f
GARDINER, A. C.
nO272 Fish, Invest, oY aweat Britain) Series ih, Vou erel.
No, 2, 14 pp-
CORANLOCH, J. :
1934, "11th Biennial Reet. La, Dept, Conserv.
Pp. 67- 127.
1935, Trans, Amer, Fish, Soc, 65:293-296,
TAINCOLN kee Cr 7
1936, Proc, No, American Wildlife Conf. Feb, 3-7,
MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT AND MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND
FISHERIES, 1930. Detailed Biological and Chemical
Reports on Tars Used for Road Surfacing, 171
pp., London,
NELSON, T. C., quoted by LANE, F. W.: BAUER, ADs
FISHER, HH ece ND HARDING, Pee
1925, Rept, of U; S, Comm. of Fish, for 1925,
Appendix V,
SEYDEL, EH. ;
1913, Mitteilungen d, Fischerei - Vereins
fur dic Provins, Bradenburg, 5,
No, 3\0 pp. 26-28
VESELOV, E.A.
1948,” Rybnoe Khoziaistvo 12:21-22
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