Study of Oyster Population and Experimental Planting in Corpus Christi Bay - Survey of Oyster Populations and Associated Organisms

Four oyster reefs in Corpus Christi Bay were seeded with live oysters transplanted from Copano Bay. Two of the seeded areas were on natural reefs which had suffered extensive oyster mortality in 1960 and 1961 and had not reestablished their populations. The other two locations were on artificial reefs constructed in 1962 of washed mud shell and were void of live oysters prior to the transplantation. Test oysters held in trays at the four transplant locations showed little mortality from June through December 1963 indicating the future practicality of additional transplantation of oysters to the Corpus Christi Bay area to aid in reestablishing oyster populations.