REPORT ON THE INOUIRY RESPECTING FOOD-FISHES AND 



THE FISHING-GROUNDS. 



By Hugh M. Smith, Assistant in Charge. 



OYSTER INVESTIGATIONS. 



LYNNHAVEN RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



During this year the oyster-fattening experiments at Lynnliaven 

 River, Virginia, have been continued with encouraging results. The 

 special objects have been to secure by artificial means a more abun- 

 dant growth of the minute plants on which the oyster feeds in order 

 that the oysters may more readily and surely attain a marketable con- 

 dition. The use of commercial fertilizer as a pabulum for the diatoms 

 was continued with increasing success. The claire, whollj^ shut off 

 from the influence of the tides, was refilled in August with water hav- 

 ing a density of 1.012, and a good quality of fertilizer was applied at 

 the rate of 400 pounds to the acre, the claire having a mean depth of 

 2^ feet. The oysters, introduced at intervals between October and 

 January, ultimately became as fat as any market requires, and some 

 sent to Washington in March were exceptionally fat. It was found, 

 however, that the time required for oysters to attain the desired con- 

 dition was too long for practical purposes, probably because the proc- 

 esses of respiration, feeding, etc. , are not sufficiently active on account 

 of the absence of tidal motion. The next step in the experiments will 

 be the artificial production of currents throughout the claire, so- that 

 the water will be aerated and the vital processes in the oysters stimu- 

 lated at the same time that the food organisms are being regularly 

 supplied. 



NORTH CAROLINA. 



In pursuance of the general policy of the Commission to assist tne 



States in the development of their fishery resources, the steamer Fish 



Hawk was detailed for a thorough survey of certain oyster-grounds 



of Korth Carolina, the special object in view being the devising of 



methods for promoting the oyster industry and the determination 



of the factors which underlie the failure of oyster-culture in the State 



during the past ten or twelve years. A consideration of these points 



involved a complete study of the biological and physical characters of 



the oyster-grounds. The extent of the North Carolina waters adapted 



to the existence of oysters prevented an examination of more than a 



small part of the grounds in one season, and the work was therefore 



restricted to certain areas of special interest. 



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