value of the dollar changes with time. A study based on 

 standard dollars is in progress (McHugh 1976, see foot- 

 note 12) but for purposes of this discussion the relative 

 importance of oyster and other species will be expressed 

 in weight landed. By this criterion, maximum oyster 

 production in New Jersey has been exceeded only by At- 

 lantic menhaden, surf clam, and Atlantic mackerel 

 (Table 11). This comparison is not completely parallel, 

 however, because oyster landings have been expressed in 

 weights of meats, shells excluded (Table 13), whereas 

 menhaden and mackerel have been reported as weight in 

 the round (live weight). 



In the 1880s (Earll 1887) a fairly important oyster in- 

 dustry operated as far up Plaritan Bay as Keyport and 

 Perth Amboy. Oyster fisheries also were important in 

 Newark Bay. Along the ocean coast of New Jersey, 

 Shrewsbury was a well-known oyster producing area, us- 

 ing seed transplanted from Keyport. The center of oyster 

 production in New Jersey at that time, however, was in 

 Delaware Bay at Maurice Cove. Oysters were abundant 

 in all suitable places in Delaware Bay and the estuary to 

 at least 50 miles up the Bay from Cape May, even in deep 

 water, and in various bays along the ocean coast of New 

 Jersey. 



In New York waters in the 1880s (Mather 1887) the 

 oyster industry was concentrated at the western end of 

 Long Island, especially in Little Neck and Oyster bays on 

 the Long Island Sound side and Jamaica, Sheepshead, 

 and Great South bays on the south shore. Bluepoints and 

 Rockaway oysters were already well-established trade 

 names. At the eastern end of Long Island oyster produc- 

 tion was small, although some experimental plantings 

 were being tried. Most seed oysters came from bays along 

 the Connecticut shore, but some local sets were ob- 

 tained. Generally, however, setting was unreliable in 

 New York waters. Seed planted in Hempstead Harbor 

 was imported from the south. The relatively important 

 oyster industry of Little Neck Bay obtained its seed from 

 the East River, which is now badly polluted. In most 

 bays along the north shore of Long Island, planting 

 grounds were leased to oystermen by the towns, but in 

 Little Neck Bay there was no such arrangement. There, 

 planters staked out grounds although they had no legal 

 claim, but according to Mather these appropriated rights 

 were respected. In contrast, in Oyster Bay, where the 

 Town leased grounds to private planters, some refused to 

 pay rental fees and defended their claims by force. 



Oyster production in New Jersey, as in New York, has 

 been dropping irregularly but steadily since records have 

 been kept (Fig. 10). Landings were variable, but ap- 

 parently highest, in the period up to 1931. Some of the 

 short-term fluctuations in oyster production during this 

 period undoubtedly were in response to economic con- 

 ditions, for in the absence of unusual and catastrophic 

 environmental conditions the crop can be held on the 

 bottom for sale when prices are favorable. This could ac- 

 count for the rather wide fluctuations in reported land- 

 ings in the period 1880-1936. In New Jersey, as in New 

 York (McHugh 1972a), the oyster industry prospered 

 from the early 1930s to the early 1950s. The similarity is 



T.ible 13. --Estimated commercial landings of American oyster 

 in the north and middle Atlantic regions of the United States 

 coast 1960-1975. Weights of meats in metric tons. 



The national saltwater angling surveys for 1960. 1965. and 1970 

 did not include recreational catches of invertebrates. 



Live weights are given in parentheses for comparability with 

 ICNAF statistics. 



S 5 



°4k 



1880 90 1900 10 



Figure 10.— Annual commercial landings of American oyster in New 

 Jerse.v 1880-1975. 



interesting, because in New York the oyster industry is 

 privately controlled, either on leased bottom or on 

 grounds owned outright, whereas in New Jersey the State 

 controls seed production. In New Jersey, production of 

 oyster meats remained fairly steady for nearly 20 yr, from 

 about 1932 to 1953. The rather sharp collapse in the late 

 1950s was caused by disease, Minchinia nelsoni (Haskin 

 et al. 1966), formerly known as MSX. This organism also 

 is believed to be present on some Long Island oyster beds 

 (Merrill and Tubiash 1970). Mjst oyster production in 

 New Jersey now comes from Delaware Bay, hence can- 

 not be attributed to the region defined here as New York 

 Bight. Recently (Harold Haskin, pers. commun.), suc- 

 cessful setting has increased the supply of seed oysters, 

 and there is some hope that production will improve. 

 Whether the industry has learned any lessons that will 

 allow it to improve oystering practices and avoid the con- 

 ditions that led to the decline remains to be seen. 

 Recovery from the low point in 1960, when only about 76 

 metric tons of meats were produced in New Jersey, has 

 been hampered by periodic closure of the Delaware River 



17 



