COLLECTION AND TREATMENT OF SAMPLES 



Plankton samples were obtained by streaming nets for a specified time, 

 usually 15 minutes, in the tidal currents flowing in or out of the culverts at the 

 mouth of the lagoon (fig. 3). Depth of water within 30 feet of the three central 

 culverts in both the lagoon and channel was 3-4 feet at mean low water. To lighten 

 the gear and to prevent the nets from sinking to the bottom in currents that often 

 were as slow as one -fourth knot, silk or nylon bags were used as buckets, and net 

 nnouth-rings were fabricated from aluminum tubing. 



The 408 plankton net sets made during the period of study are presented in 

 table 1 according to their frequency by month and year. Although it was desirable 

 to operate with identical gear throughout the course of field work, circumstances 

 often necessitated the use of different nets, as follows: 



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liSr' 



Figure 3. —Setting plankton net at culverts, mouth of East Lagoon. 



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