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take up and accumulate coliform bacteria in their bodies. These bacteria 

 are not directly toxic but oysters with high coliform concentrations 

 cannot be directly harvested for food. Applequist et al . (1972) also 

 found the harbor to be enriched in mercury which they attributed to 

 municipal sewage outfalls. 



I 



In summary, all combined analyses for both oyster mortality 

 and growth indicated that significant variation occurred between years 

 but not between experimental stations. The one parameter, dry weight 

 condition index, which did represent a difference between experimental 

 stations, was a consistent pre-and post-operational phenomenon. The 

 interpretation of these results leads to the conclusion that no effect 

 of the operation of New Haven Harbor Station could be determined on the 

 growth, mortality or commercial viability (as measured by condition 

 index) of experimental oyster populations within New Haven Harbor. 



