FORTY-SECOND BIENNIAL REPORT 



79 



to insure complete understanding- among the departmental staff and 

 representatives of the industry. It is believed that with a firm, workable 

 policy, we can better obtain full utilization of our natural resources which 

 are so favorable to oyster production. Through biological investigations, 

 the research staff is determining growth rates of oysters under various 

 conditions, testing different methods of oyster culture, and advising 

 oyster growers of cultural practices and methods of pest control. 



CLAMS 



During the biennium many photographs and large quantities of infor- 

 mation on habits and habitats of our most common edible clams, mussels, 

 and scallops were amassed for use in a proposed fish bulletin. In conjunc- 

 tion with this project several short trips to various clamming localities 

 and a longer trip to the Humboldt Bay area were made from the Terminal 

 Island laboratory. 



Pismo clam censuses were conducted at both Pismo Beach and Morro 

 Bay during November in 1950 and 1951. These censuses indicate a 

 shortage of young clams at both localities. This lack of young clams is 

 apparently the result of very poor sets during the past several seasons. 



The department has conducted regular surveys of the Pismo clam resource off the Pismo Beach 

 area since 1925. Here clams are being measured and aged, after which they are replanted. 



