EQUIHJEOT ABD METHODS 



The States of Louisiana and Uississlppi provided the fullest 

 cooperation for conducting this survey by providing the use of 

 equipment, boats and personnel, as well as supplying detailed 

 information concerning the different reefs, Louisiana, in addition, 

 made available valuable records of salinity levels in Mississippi 

 Sound collected during the period 1943-1947 and furnished the metal 

 trays which were used at the sampling stations. Mr, F. N. Hansen, 

 of the Water Resources Branch, Geological Survey, XT. S. Department 

 of the Interior, provided tinpublished and provisional data on water 

 discharge rates from the Pearl River Drainage Basin which were most 

 informative, 



The laboratory and experimental tecbniq.ues were conducted at 

 the IT. S* Fisheries Laboratory, Pensacola, Florida, Standard 

 techniques were employed in the various field and laboratozy tests, 

 but the description of these, as well as much of the detailed data 

 collected at each station, have been omitted from the body of this 

 report for the sake of clarity, 



LABORATORY AND FIELD DATA. AHD IHEIR INTERPRETATION 

 Condition of Oyster Reefs in May. 1949 



During the course of this investigation, sampling stationa 

 were established in the different regions. These stations were 

 selected because of their position with reference to the path 

 of flood waters or because of their known potentiality in pro- 

 ducing oysters. Some stations were visited only once for the 

 purpose of establishing the variations in salinity across Miss- 

 issippi Sound, There are other stations where we collected only 

 hydrographic data because of the absence of oysters. 



The conditions found on the more Important reefs are described 

 as of the end of May 1949 when salinity levels had returned to normal. 

 Appendix A and Table 8 contain a more detailed discussion of the con- 

 ditions on the individual reefs. 



Area I, The different reefs in this area follow a certain similarity 

 in pattern which pezmits a generalized statement concerning the suitability 

 of this section for growing oysters during the first 6 months of 1949, 



In this period the reefs suffered either a negligible mortality or 

 that small amount iriiich I should expect to find under the best conditions 

 for oyster production. In May, all of the oysters were feeding, th^ had 



