84 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



larger catches, but they never became very abundant at auj^ time during 

 this month. The Fish llaivJc continued to take small quantities of the 

 younger sizes, finding them almost exclusively in the upper x)arts of 

 the creek. Although comparatively large numbers of the adults were 

 examined, no ])ositive evidence was obtained, based uj^on the condition 

 of their reproductive organs, as to the time at which they spawn. No 

 further light, moreover, was thrown upon the location of their spawning- 

 grounds, but the continued finding of the young fish in the brackish 

 streams adds weight to the supposition expressed in former reports that 

 to some extent at least the species spawns in such situations. 



OYSTER INVESTIGATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 



Willapa Bay, formerly known as Shoalwater Bay, abounds in the 

 native oyster of the Pacific Coast, the Ostrea lurlda, which has there 

 been cultivated to a greater extent than in any other locality. This bay 

 has been a source of supply of this species for the San Francisco market 

 during many years, dating back to the period before the introduction 

 of the eastern variety in Californian waters, and its principal fishery 

 now consists in the rearing of this mollusk. The primary source of 

 supply consists of the natural deposits from which the oysters are 

 tonged, and, being sorted or culled, the largest are marketed at once and 

 the rest transplanted to suitable bottoms for further growth, requiring 

 from two to three years. In 1895 over 2,000 acres were under culti- 

 vation in Willapa Bay, the output in that year having been valued at 

 over $66,000, and the number of persons employed about 350. 



It has for some time been the desire of the inhabitants of this region 

 to attempt the introduction and cultivation of the Atlantic Coast 

 species, the belief being strong that Willapa Bay was well adapted to 

 this purpose, as indicated by the richness of its native stock. Large 

 quantities of small eastern oysters or seed oysters have been transported 

 annually across the continent for planting in San Francisco Bay, where 

 they attain a suitable size for the market in the course of three or four 

 years. It has generally been supposed until recently, however, that the 

 eastern stock did not propagate in San Fran(;isco Bay, and the industry 

 has been restricted to the transplanting and growing of the seed. Inves- 

 tigations made within a few years show <juite conclusively that this 

 species is cai)able of reproducing in Californian w^aters to some extent 

 at least, and that a natural groM'th has there been taking place for some 

 time, i)ractically unnoticed. One of the princii^al reasons for the slow 

 progress apparent in this natural increase is probably the limited extent 

 of bottom suitable for the attachment of the spat, although the low 

 temperature of the water, as has always been claimed, as well as other 

 causes, may also have some effect. 



The establishment of the fact that the eastern oyster will propagate on 

 at least some parts of the Pacific Coast, leading to the supposition that 

 the formation of self-sustaining beds i.s a i)ossibility, has greatly stimu- 

 lated the interest in this mollusk and has led to renewed demands 



