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Estimation Of Parameters Of Striped Bass Populations And Description Of The Fishery Of Lower Chesapeake Bay : Annual Progress Reports, George C. Grant

Reports

Contains 3 reports covering 1967, 1967-1968, Sept. 1968- June 1969 (third annual report)

Project Period: May 1, 1967 - Decemeber 31, 1969.

Biology And Utilization Of Anadromous Alosids: Annual Progress Report (October 1, 1968 - September 30, 1969, Jackson Davis, Joseph P. Miller, J. Ernest Warriner

Reports

Estimates of average annual mortality rates were derived. from the decline in numbers of repeat river herring spawners each year. in the Rappahannock and Potomac Rivers. The 1961 year-class contributed slightly more than 6 million fish to the fishery since 1965 while the 1962 year-class contributed nearly 5 million fish. Estimates could not be made for the James and York Rivers because the catch could not be measured. Fishing effort generally declined from 1968 in all major rivers with the Potomac River exhibiting the greatest decline. The catch of river herring in 1969 was generally lower than in 1968. Shad …

Characterization Of Coastal And Estuarine Fish Nursery Grounds As Natural Communities, Willard A. Van Engel, Edwin B. Joseph

Reports

No abstract provided.

Seasonal Availability And Distribution Of Benthic Fishes Of Chesapeake Bight, Jackson Davis, John A. Musick, Edwin B. Joseph

Reports

In considering the potential for expanding the Middle Atlantic fishery, Virginia Institute of Marine Science estimated the seasonal distribution and availability of benthic fishes on the 15,000 square miles of continental shelf between Cape Hatteras and Cape May. The survey, which started in the winter of 1966 and continued through the winter of 1968, was conducted in two phases. The ·work in 1966 ·was devoted to determining the seasonal distribution of the various kinds of fishes, especially those which appeared to be under-utilized. For.this work a 45-foot semi-balloon shrimp trawl was employed to make 295 tows which were divided among …

Biology And Utilization Of Anadromous Alosids: Annual Progress Report (October 1, 1967 - September 30, 1968), Jackson Davis, J. Ernest Warinner, Joseph P. Miller

Reports

Scales were collected from alewife, blueback, American shad and hickory shad in each tidal river system in Virginia at weekly intervals. Reading of alewife scales is complete to date and the alewife catch from the York and Rappahannock Rivers has been analyzed for sex composition and spawning history.

Lack of catch records from the James and Potomac Rivers precludes analysis of these populations. Fishing effort in the major rivers during 1968 was equal to that of 1967. The catch of river herring increased approximately .4 million pounds over 19_67 increasing catch per unit of effort to the highest level on …

Biology And Utilization Of Anadromous Alosids: Annual Progress Report (March 3 - September 30, 1967), Jackson Davis, Joseph Miller

Reports

Scales were collected from alewife, blueback, American shad and hickory shad in each tidal river system in Virginia at weekly intervals. Analysis is underway to determine age composition and mortality rates of the stocks. Catch rates of river herring indicate that the fishery is in satisfactory condition. Catch by pound nets was estimated to be 4.1 million pounds of river herring and 204,000 pounds of shad in the Rappahannock River. In the York River, pound nets caught a minimum of 159,000 pounds of river herring and 36,000 pounds of shad and stake gill nets caught an estimated 238,000 pounds of …

Supplement To The Public Oyster Grounds Of The Rappahannock River, Jay D. Andrews, Dexter S. Haven

Reports

In the spring of 1952 a summary was made of conditions on the Rappahannock River oyster grounds.for the previous five yea.rs. Five more years have passed but little change is noted in this river. The exceptionally heavy set above Towles Point in 1954 and an apparent decline in setting below the Point are the chief deviations from the patterns described in 1952. A severe loss of oysters in the Rappahannock from hurricanes in August 1955 accentuated a scarcity which appears to be general on the Atlantic Coast. A period of unfavorable weather in the form of hurricanes and high temperatures …

Studies On The Relation Between Black Mud And Mortalities In The Rappahannock River, Virginia, In 1953, Jay D. Andrews

Reports

Following the reappearance of "black mud" in May 1953, a meeting was held at Tappahannock to diacuss possible causes of the condition and the steps which might be taken if there was a recurrence of mortality such as followed the "black mud" in 1949. Lacking any clear cut evidence that pollution or physical factors caused the mortality, we suggested that a newly discovered fungus disease called Dermocystidium marinum be studied as a possible causal factor.

A study has been made of this disease in the Rappahannock River in the past year.

The Public Oyster Grounds Of The Rappahannock River, Jay D. Andrews, Dexter S. Haven

Reports

The Rappahannock River includes some of tho best oyster grounds in the state. The public grounds comprise a poorly used natural resource of great potential value to the state. At present oystermen gather the "wild" crop which, unf'ortunately, represents only a small portion of the oysters which could be raised by intensive management.

In a single phrase, the Rappahannock can be described as a river where oysters "grow fast but set poorly". The chief factor limiting production is the lack of adequate set of young oysters each year. It is not likely that biologists will learn in the near future …

Oyster Setting Records For Rappahannock River, Jay D. Andrews

Reports

1. The Rappahannook River probably never did get a consistent set of oyster spat.

2. In the year 1941 occurred the best set in recent years. No quantitative data.

3.The set for 1942 was practically nil.

4. The set for 1945 was very small or none.

5. The 1944 set was probably the second best in recent years with an average of 176 spat per bushel for the whole river.

6. No set of consequence occurred above Towles Point· in 1945, and a very light set occurred below this point.

7. Limited records indicate a year similar to 1945 for …

A Study Of Oyster Strike On The Seaside Of Virginia, John G. Mackin

Reports

The Seaside oyster producing grounds of Tidewater lie between the string of off-shore islands and the mainland. The area is made up of a series of wide shallow bays and marsh islands cut by channels through which the tide ebbs and flows. Streams emptying into these bays from the mainland side are short and, excepting in extremely unusual wet weather, have little effect on the salinity of the bay waters which varies from 28 to 30 parts per thousand. The tidal range is nearly 5 feet, and at high spring tides cover the highest points of the marsh islands. At …