Study of Oyster Growth and Population Structure in San Antonio and Espiritu Santo Bays - Survey of Oyster Populations and Associated Organisms

The number of market oysters present in this area at the start of the study period in September 1961 was very low due to a flood in June 1961, that killed a large percentage of the oysters of the area. This condition gradually improved throughout the study period, but still only small amounts of commercial production had been observed in the area when the study period ended in December 1962. Spat set in the summer and fall of 1962 repopulated the area and the oysters have shown rapid growth. Without further natural mortality in the San Antonio Bay system oyster production during the 1963-1964 oyster season could approach the 1959-1960 peak. Harvesting of under legal size oysters in Espiritu Santo Bay caused a heavy reduction of oysters in this bay, and no commercial production occurred during the September through December portion of the 1962-1963 season from this bay.