9.0 OYSTER STUDIES 



by David J. Hartzband and David N. Pease 

 Normandeau Associates, Inc. 

 Bedford, N. H. 



INTRODUCTION 



New Haven Harbor has historically served as a natural source 

 of seed oysters (Crassostrea virginica) for the Long Island Sound oyster 

 fishery (Figure 9-1) . The environmentally stressed conditions in the 

 harbor presently necessitate the dredging and transferral of premarketable 

 oysters (10-15 cm) to less impacted areas such as Oyster Bay, Northport 

 Harbor, Peconic Bay and Gardiner's Bay, New York for "self-cleaning" 

 (MacKenzie, 1970) . The primary sources of environmental stress in New 

 Haven Harbor are the extensive influx of domestic and industrial effluents, 

 periodic oil spills and dredging (Army Corps of Engineers, 1973) . 



The objectives of oyster studies were to provide baseline 

 information on oyster growth and condition in New Haven Harbor prior to 

 start-up of New Haven Harbor Station and to assess the possible effects 

 of the generating station's activities after operations commenced in 

 July 1975 (commercial operations began 29 August) . 



These studies have been carried out in New Haven Harbor as ' 

 part of the New Haven Harbor Station Environmental Monitoring Studies 

 since 1971, four years prior to initiation of station operations. The 

 1971-1973 study was designed to monitor monthly change in length and 

 weight of oysters held at three sites in New Haven Harbor : Fort Hale 

 (C) , New Haven Harbor Station (A) and Long Wharf (B) (Figure 9-2) . New 

 Haven Harbor Station pier was used as a study site to provide a base line 

 for evaluation of possible near-field effects of the generating sta- 

 tion's activities on existing inner harbor oyster growth and condition. 

 The Long Wharf site was utilized as an inner harbor control, while the 

 Fort Hale fishing pier site was utilized to identify typical patterns of 

 oyster gro\>rth in the outer harbor where there could be expected to be 



9-1 



