the spring of 1949, there was no evidence of abnormal mortality here 

 but neither was thei-e much new growth. The majority of oysters on 

 these reefs are less than the market size of 3 inches (Fig. 2). 



Area II . This section comprises approximately 100 square miles 

 with many small natural oyster reefs and some private oyster bedding 

 grounds in the westernmost pert of Mississippi Sound. It includes • 

 oyster bottcms under the jurisdiction of both Louisiana and Mississippi. 



The oysters in this area are for the most part less than 2 inches 

 in length and on many reefs there are only oyster spat less than a year 

 old. This area suffered nearly 100 per cent mortality in 1945, was 

 severely damaged again by the hurricane in 1947 and in the early part 

 of 1949 more than half of the remaining smeLLl population of oysters 

 died. The large dead shells on some of these reefs carry a succession 

 of scars left by small oysters. These scars are the attached shells 

 of small oysters which have died. Most of the scars are an inch or 

 less in length and frequently lie one on top of the other. This 

 indicates that altho gh young oysters have been setting here regularly 

 in the past four seasons, they have nearly all died before reaching the 

 age of one year (Fig. 2). 



Area III . Lake Mechant and its connecting bayous cover an area 

 of approximately 15 square miles lying 70 miles south west of the city 

 of New Orleans. Perhaps 75 per cent of this area suffered severe oyster 

 mortalities during the floods of 1945, After that time, the Lake 

 apparently returned to normal. Most of the oysters here are located 

 on privately leased bedding grounds. These grounds were put into use 

 in 1945 and 1947, By the winter of 1947-48, oyster production was such 

 that one of the lessees who had had the greatest losses in 1945 applied 

 to the State of Louisiana for permission to lease an additional 150 

 acres in Lake Mechant. A preliminary survey of this section in the 

 summer of 1948 showed that the oysters were in good condition and 

 that there were prospects of normal production for the winter oyster 

 season (Fig. 3), 



With these considerations in mind, the present survey was planned 

 to learn, if possible: 



1, The reasons for poor growth of oysters in Area I, 



2, The reasons for the annual mortalities of oysters in Area II, 



3, The suitability of the environment for oysters in Area III, 



4, The possibility of abnormal conditions continuing or being 

 recurrent , and 



5, The desirability of, and methods for, rehabilitating and 

 maintaining the oyster reefs in question. 



