1118 



U. S. BUltEAU OF FISHERIES 



extent of the daina<res to oyster reefs caused by the flood and rtnding 

 a method for the rehabilitation of the destroyed bottoms. The 

 State conservation department cooperated in this work by providing 

 a suitable boat with equipment and by supplying the necessary labor. 

 The i)arty. consisting of Drs. P. 8. (iraltsotf, R. H. Luce, State Dep- 

 uty A. Ackridge. and several members of the "' sea food emergency 

 committee of the Mobile Chaml)er of Commerce " visited all the 

 principal public reefs in Alabama waters and determined the per- 

 centage of oysters killed. The destruction of oysters was found 

 to be so extensive that the necessity of immediate rehabilitation of 

 the reefs was self-evident. The percentage of survivors on the reefs 

 of Mobile Bay varied from to G.G per cent; 15 per cent of the 

 03'sters survived at Grants Pass. The oysters on the principal reefs 

 in Alabama waters (White House. Cedar Point, (nants Pass) were 



Fkmiu; 11. Oyster tivri, Delaware I'.ay 



either comi)letely destroyed or their numbei" was so reduced that 

 the reefs can not become productive unless they are rehabilitated 

 by the planting of new stock. Oysters along the southern shore of 

 Mississippi Sound were not affected by the flood 



The following recommendations for the rehabilitation of the de- 

 stroyed oyster bottoms were made: (1) Establish si)awning beds; 

 (2) plant cultch (shells) in the immecHate vicinity of the spawn- 

 ing beds: (8) restock the reefs with seed oysters; and (4) during 

 the rehabilitation period, the reefs should be closed to all oyster 

 Ashing and efficiently patrolled. 



Delaware Bay. — Fnmi Sejjtember 1 to the latter part of Novem- 

 ber, a survey of the oyster industry of New Jersey and Delaware 

 in Delaware Bay was made by W. H. Dumont. Tlie area of natural 

 beds producing seed oyst<'rs is apj)r<)ximat('ly S.OOO acres in New 

 Jersey and 400 acres in Delaware. Comparing tiiese figures witli 



