Table 7o Percent Mortality of Oysters, Western Mississippi Sound 



Location 



Station NOo Date % Mortality Remarks 



Natural Reef j Bright scars 

 show additional 15^. 



(Natural Reef i 



( Oysters mostly seed size 



( and slow growing 



Shell planting 1948 g stiff 



mud, soft bottom alou^s 

 Shell planting 1948 5 stiff 



mud and shell gravel 

 Shell planting 1949 i stiff 



mud and shell bottom 

 Seed planting 1949 i stiff 



mud and shell bottom 

 Natural Reef i hard shell 



bottom 



The oyster groimds were not silted to a noticeable extent. Therefore, 

 unless considerably more silt infiltrates the area, mudding damage should 

 not occur o 



The present low level of salinity over most of the area dpes represent 

 a potential danger to the oyster population© At the same time the recovery 

 of these waters from the low salinity condition is rapid when the prevailing 

 winds are southerly and the rivers cease their flooding. 



