8-21 



L() l(!V(!l.s similar to those observed during 1976. A second factor which 

 may contribute to the observed decline in the abxindance of starfish is 

 "mopping" and the use of biocides such as lime (calcium oxide) by 

 commercial oyster companies to protect oyster beds from starfish pre- 

 dation. "Mopping" consists of dragging large mops over oyster beds for 

 approximately 10 minutes; starfish clinging to the mops are hauled from 

 the water and destroyed. Lime is spread over the bed to keep starfish 

 from feeding and to destroy them. Oyster beds in New Haven Harbor, as 

 well as other parts of Long Island Sound, are periodically treated by 

 both methods to keep the abundance of starfish, molluscs and oyster- 

 fouling organisms to a minimum (MacKenzie, 1970 and 1977) . Periodic 

 treatment of oyster beds by "mopping", biocides or both would be ex- 

 pected to result in a decline in starfish abundance in the general 

 vicinity of the treated area. Because of the relatively small size and 

 semi-enclosed nature of New Haven Harbor, continued "mopping" and bio- 

 cide protection of oyster beds could play a dominant role in the steady 

 decline of the harbor population of Asterias . 



During each year of the program, monthly variations in abun- 

 dance of Asterias were considerable and no apparent trends were evident 

 (Figure 8-4) . In a review of over 40 years of data relating to abun- 

 dance of Asterias in coastal waters between New Haven and Bridgeport, 

 Loosanoff (personal communication, 1975) found no trends "or patterns in 

 starfish abundance (NAI, 1977) . Similarly, no seasonal patterns of 

 starfish abundance were evident in Stamford Harbor during the 1971-1973 

 Stamford Harbor Ecological Studies (NAI, 1974). 



Despite the annual decline in abundance, patterns of distribu- 

 tion of Asterias as indicated by trawl data have been relatively consis- 

 tent throughout the monitoring study. Highest abundances occurred in 

 ^'.orris Cove (Station 13) and in the main shipping channel in the vicinity 

 ot tho Harbor Station discharge and middle harbor (Table 8-3) . Since 

 starfish are attracted to active oyster beds (Galtsoff , 1964) that are 

 not sampled in this program, harborwide starfish distribution may be 

 somewhat different than indicated by trawl data. Starfish are slightly 



