200 lidiblc Molliisca of the Orr^^on L'oast 



hoinj^' siiiollicrcd. Conditioii.N fur ^nnxtli. hmvcvcr, sccin to favor 

 the ()}sters in this river as they reach a good size and a greater 

 or less amount of spat i> eauglit each season. Practically all of 

 the (Oysters from the Va(|uina beds are shipped in the shell to 

 I'ortland's markets. 



A closed season from .Ma\' 15th to Septeml)er 13th ccjvers, 

 in a general way. the spawning period of the oyster in this local- 

 il_\-. Some fishermen, however, believe that spawning begins as 

 early as May 1st and favor an earlier closed season. 



Many years ago an attempt was made to establisli the eastern 

 oyster in the Yaquina River. Plantings were made and careful 

 olxservations kept by the state biologist but the results were not 

 encouraging and the project was later abandoned witlmut assur- 

 ance of the oysters propagating in these waters. 



A small acreage of western oysters has existed for a ntunber 

 of years near the head (tf Xetarts Bay in Tillamook County. 

 This bay is a very shallow arm of the sea with practically no 

 fresh water entering it. Conditions here are apparently not favor- 

 able to the oysters. The high salinity of the waters of the bay 

 and lack of organic material which fresh water streams naturall}- 

 carry into the ocean, together with lack of proper care of the 

 beds, may account for the fact that the oysters in this locality 

 are retarded in their development and very small in size. The 

 annual otttput from the Xetarts Pay beds is negligible. One ma}' 

 occasionally find small amounts on the nearby markets of Tilla- 

 mook City but the source is incapable of supplying even local 

 demands. 



About four years ago plantings of the western oyster were 

 made on a small scale by private parties in Coos Bay. The out- 

 look of this experiment is encouraging. A satisfactory amount 

 of spat has been caught each season since the plantings were first 

 made. The beds are being expanded and, with proper care and 

 attention, there is reason to expect that this project may develop 

 into a profitable oyster industry. 



That Coos Bay once supported the western oyster in al)und- 

 ance is evidenced by the great ([uantities of shells thrown out by 

 the steam dredge in the ]-)rocess of (leei)ening the channel. The 



f-Ml 



