Animal Sciences Commons^™

History Of Virginia's Commercial Fisheries: Neglected Historical Records Throw Light On Today's Problems, J. L. Mchugh, Robert S. Bailey

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As the Susan Constant, the Godspeed, and the Discovery made their way through Hampton Roads and up the James River toward Jarnestown in 1607, they traversed a 15-mile stretch of water that was to play an important part in the history and economy of Virginia. Beneath these pleasant waters, and sometimes forming reefs that were awash at low tide, lay the most prolific natural oyster beds in the world. Three hundred and fiftv years later these grounds still provide the seed that makes Virginia's oyster industry supreme, producing about one-quarter of the nation's supply of these delicious mollusks.

Had they …

Virginia's Anadromous Fishes, William H. Massman, Robert S. Bailey

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No abstract provided.

The Shad In Virginia Waters, W.H. Massmann, Robert S. Bailey

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No abstract provided.

Monogenetic Trematodes Of Gulf Of Mexico Fishes. Part Xii. The Family Gastrocotylidae Price, 1943, William J. Hargis Jr.

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This paper is the twelfth installment of the present series presenting the data concerning monogenetic trematodes collected during the years 1951-1954 at the Alligator Harbor Marine Laboratory of Florida State University. It comprises an emendation of the family Gastrocotylidae Price, 1943 and the subfamily Gastrocotylinae Sproston,1946 and descriptions and/or discussions of several species.

The new genera Scomberocotyle and Neothoracocotyle have been diagnosed with Scomberocotyle scomberomori (Koratha, 1955) n. comb. and Neothoracocotyle coryphenae (Yamaguti, 1938) n. comb., respectively as their type species. Emendations have been made in Gotocotyla Ishii, 1933, Thoracocotyle MacCallum, 1913, and Lithidocotyle Sproston, 1946. Pseudaxine mexicana Meserve, 1938, …

Computation Of Oyster Yields In Virginia, J. L. Mchugh, J. D. Andrews

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Drs. Andrews and Hewatt have been holding oysters in trays suspended from the Virginia Fisheries Laboratory pier at Gloucester Point, Virginia, for the past four years. The preliminary objective has been to study mortality rates, but other information has been gathered from time to time, particularly on the growth rate. During the course of these investigations we have been impressed by the yields that have been obtained, for it has not been uncommon to realize three bushels of market-sized oysters for each original bushel of seed placed in the trays.

Reduced to the simplest terms, the yield of market oysters …

Trapping Oyster Drills In Virginia Ii. The Time Factor In Relation To The Catch Per Trap, J. L. Mchugh

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In using traps to remove drills from oyster ground, assuming that trapping is an effective method of reducing the activities of these pests, it is important to keep costs at a minimum. One way of reducing the cost of trapping is to increase the time interval between lifts, but if the efficiency of traps varies with time, the nature of this relationship should be considered in choosing the optimum fishing interval.

The influence of time on the catch must also be known to determine the significance of the catch per trap in drill trapping experiments. Dr. Andrews, in the first …

Trapping Oyster Drills In Virginia I. The Effect Of Migration And Other Factors On The Catch, Jay D. Andrews

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Virginia oystermen have tried trapping of drills as a control measure and discarded it as ineffective and too costly. It is true that their efforts were sporadic and lacking in persistence, and the effects of their trapping were not adequately appraised. They expected returns in the form of increased yields too quickly. Nevertheless, these brief trials have convinced even the most progressive oystermen that trapping· drills is not the answer to their predation problem. In Chesapeake Bay, consequently, no conscious effort is made to control drills. Oyster grounds are often allowed to lie fallow for several year's, a practice which …

Temperature Control Experiments On The Fungus Disease, Dermocystidium Marinum, Of Oysters, Willlis G. Hewatt, Jay D. Andrews

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In 1950 Mackin, Owen, and Collier described a fungus parasite, Dermocystidium marinim, found in oysters of Louisiana coastal waters. Since that, time numerous studies have been conducted on the nature of the fungus and its effects upon the host. It has been definitely established that the pathogen is the main contributor to the causes of mortality of oysters in some areas. Ray and Chandler (1955) have adequately reviewed the literature on the subject.

Among the various observations that have been made on the fungus disease there is very positive evidence that the incidence and intensity of the infection are primarily …

The Pound-Net Fishery In Virginia. Part 1. History, Gear Description And Catch, George K. Reid Jr.

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The pound net is one of the most important fishing gears in Virginia. Recent declines in the catch of certain economically- important species have pointed to the need for study of the fishes and the fishery and its methods. The General Assembly of Virginia has requested that the Virginia Fisheries Laboratory conduct experiments to determine the proper size mesh for nets in fixed fishing devices.

A preliminary study of the pound net, embodying historical development, construction and methods of operating, and the catch trends from 1930 through 1951, was undertaken during the summer of 1953.

Although the introduction of the …

Changes In The Physiography Of Oyster Bars In The James River, Virginia, Nelson Marshall

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The intent of the Baylor Survey of 1892 was to define the naturally producing oyster grounds in Virginia waters and to set them aside for public use. Actually, some natural ground was omitted and some barren ground was included within the bounds of the Survey; however, it stands as a definition of public grounds from which any citizen of the State may, for a small fee, obtain a license to take oysters. Only hand tongs are permitted in this public fishery.

These oyster bars within the Baylor Snrvey are about twice as extensive as the ground outside leased to private …

Oyster Mortality Studies In Virginia. I. Mortalities Of Oysters In Trays At Gloucester Point, York River, Willis G. Hewatt, Jay D. Andrews

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No abstract provided.

Marine Fishes In Fresh And Brackish Waters Of Virginia Rivers, William H. Massman

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In the fresh and brackish waters of the James, Chickahominy, Pamunkey, Mattaponi and Rappahannock rivers in Virginia, 18 species of marine fishes ( exclusive of anadromous and catadromus forms) have been collected. Gunter's (1942) exhaustive survey of the occurrence of Atlantic coast marine fishes in fresh water is here amplified for the most important tidal rivers of Virginia.

Since 1949 intensive collecting has been done in brackish and tidal fresh waters of the Pamunkey and Rappahannock rivers, and numerous. collections have been made in the James, Chickahominy, and Mattaponi.

Setting Of Oysters In Virginia, Jay D. Andrews

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North of Chesapeake Bay, one of the foremost problems of oyster planters, is to obtain a regular supply of seed oysters; to·the south, the problem becomes one of how to handle an overly abundant set.· Virginia is the most northerly state with an adequate supply of seed oysters, and setting should not be a problem. The natural set will suffice if proper steps are taken to catch and utilize it. We are most fortunate in Virginia in having a consistent set of moderate' intensity resulting in high quality seed oysters. At present only the best seed oysters; those from the …

The Fishes Of The Tidewater Section Of The Pamunkey River, Virginia, Edward C. Raney, William H. Massman

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The distribution of the fish fauna of the tidewater section of most of the rivers that flow into Chesapeake Bay is poorly known. Indeed, this is true for practically all the great rivers tributary to the Atlantic from the Hudson southward to the Savannah. The few investigations usually have concentrated on commercial species and our understanding of distribution has been inferred from the knowledge of nearby Coastal Plain streams reported in such studies as those by Hildebrand and Schroeder (1928), Fowler (1945), Raney (1950), and Massmann, Ladd, McCutcheon (1952).

In 1949 the junior author began a study of the spawning …

Relative Abundance Of Young Fishes In Virginia Estuaries, William H. Massman

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Watermen have expressed the opinion that commercial fish production varies considerably from one Virginia estuary to another. Preliminary surveys of the young fishes present in the various rivers have suggested that the relative abundance of young fishes also differs from river to river. The surface trawl (Massmann, Ladd, and McCutcheon, 1952) has been used to obtain quantitative information on the distribution and relative abundance of young fishes in five major Virginia estuaries.

The River Shrimp, Macrobrachium Ohione (Smith), In Virginia, Horton H. Hobbs, William H. Massman

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The ''river shrimp" belonging to the genus Macrobrachium, which range in length from 34 to more than 230 mm., are not to be confused with the smalier "glass shrimp" belonging to the genus Palaemonetes, at least one species of which is a common form in the waters of the Piedmont and Coastal Plain of Virginia.

The Management Of Virginia's Seafood Resources, John L. Mchugh

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According to figures collected and published by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the annual seafood landings in Virginia since 1880 have averaged about 254,000,000 pounds. In recent years this catch has brought an annual income to the fishermen of close to $20,000,000. Among the 48 states, Virginia is the third largest producer in weight of seafoods, and the fifth largest in terms of the landed value of the catch.

Seasonal Patterns Of Oyster Setting In The James River And Chesapeake Bay, Jay D. Andrews

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The James River seedbeds are one of the few oyster-growing areas of the world still operated successfully as a free fishery on natural oyster grounds. It is characteristic of free fisheries that much is taken out and little is put back. For some 50 years, the James River seedbeds have continuously furnished most of the seed- oysters (young oysters) for the planters of Vir- ginia. That they are still productive is strong testimony to the natural fitness of the area for oyster culture. Yet, their survival as seed grounds must be attributed in no small measure to the laws prohibiting …

The Freshwater Medusa, Craspedacusta Sowerbii, In Matoaka Lake, Williamsburg, Virginia, Ernest F. Tresselt

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The freshwater jellyfish, Craspedacusta sowerbii Lankester, has been described from at least 19 of the 48 states (Schmitt, '39). In spite of an apparently widespread distribution it is sufficiently rare that records of its occurrence are noteworthy. Approximately 200 medusae of this species were seen in Matoaka Lake, Williamsburg, Va., on July 18, 1949.

The Fungus Lagenidium Callinectes Couch (1942) On Eggs Of The Blue Crab In Chesapeake Bay., Rosalie Rogers-Talbert

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In 1941 a parasitic fungus was first observed on the eggs of many obtained from natural spawning areas in Chesapeake Bay (Sandoz, Rogers, Newcombe, 1944). Dr. John N. Couch of the University of North Carolina examined infected samples and recognized the parasite to be a new species, he named Lagenidiiin callinectes Couch (1942).

Marked annual fluctuations in the commercial catches of the blue crab Callinectes sapidus Rathbun (1895) have taken place. The discovery of the egg raised the questions of how it affects the development of the crab embryo, percentage of the eggs of a crab may be infected, and …

Early Life History Of The Oyster Crab, Pinnotheres Ostreum (Say), Mildred Sandoz, Sewell H. Hopkins

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The first and second zoeae of Pinnotheres ostreum have been described Hyman (1924). The five crab stages parasitic in the oyster (Ostrea virginica) have been described by Stauber (1945). The present paper is an attempt to plete the knowledge of the development of the oyster crab from the egg to the first crab instar. This work was done at the Virginia Fisheries Laboratory in summer of 1944, under the direction of Dr. Curtis L. Newcombe.

The first Pinnotherid larva to be described was the zoea of Pinnotheres pisum Leach, the British pea crab. This species has three or more zoeae. …

Research Seeks To Expand New Fishery, J.G. Mackin, R. Winston Menzel

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(...) In 1940, the ribbed mussels, Volsella demissus, of Tidewater Virginia were discovered by Du Pont chemists to be rich in this "provitamin D." This discovery was followed immediately by the development of a mussel fishery on the "Seaside" of Virginia's Eastern Shore peninsula, the activity centering on the large intertidal marshes where the mussels grow and in the shucking houses along the water fronts of shore towns where the mussels are steamed, shucked, and packed for shipment. This fishery has since constituted the country's principal available "provitamin D" source, and large war demands for eggs and poultry meat have …

Future Of The Virginia Oyster Industry, Curtis L. Newcombe, R. Winston Menzel

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CHESAPEAKE BAY has long been famous for its oysters. Shared by Maryland and Virginia, this natural resource contributes greatly to the economic life of about thirty Tidewater counties. Virginia oyster grounds extend approximately half way up the bay and reach far up the numerous tributaries. In addition, there are thousands of acres of oyster grounds on the Sea Side of the Eastern Shore.

Despite the magnitude of the acreage adapted for growing oysters, comparatively little effort has been made to find out just how valuable the industry is to the state or to explore its possibilities for development. Federal statistics …

The External Morphology Of The Third And Fourth Zoeal Stages Of The Blue Crab, Callinectes Sapidus Rathbun, Sewell H. Hopkins

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For the past two years, workers at the Virginia Fisheries Laboratory, Williams- burg, have been attempting to rear larvae of the commercially important blue crab from the egg through all zoeal stages. In 1941 Dr. Margaret S. Lochhead worked out a successful method of hatching the eggs (Lochhead, Lochhead and Newcombe, 1942) and reared the larvae to the "second zoea" stage. During the summers of 1942 and 1943 this work was continued by Mrs. Mildred Sandoz and Miss Rosalie Rogers, who succeeded in rearing a number of individuals to the "third zoea" stage. The anatomy of the first and second …

The Effect Of Environmental Factors On Hatching, Moulting, And Survival Of Zoeal Larvae Of The Blue Crab, Callinectes Sapidus Rathbun, Mildred Sandoz, Rosalie M. Rogers

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The blue crab constitutes a major fishery of the Chesapeake Bay amount- ing in 1939 to about fifty-seven million pounds. During the past two decades there have been pronounced fluctuations in the catches attributed to weather conditions and to industrial practices. Thus, from 1939 to 1941 the crab catch declined over 50% in Maryland and about 40% in Virginia (U. S. Fishery Statistics, '41). Since then there has been a marked increase in production.

For successful management of the fishery, further biological information is required to provide a sound basis for conservation policy. The particular biological problem with which we …

Seafoods : Their Wartime Role In Maintaining Nutritional Standards, Curtis L. Newcombe, Grace J. Blank

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Recent years have witnessed improved dietary changes, due largely to an increase in knowledge of nutrition and to a wide dissemination of this knowledge.

Since about 1915 there has been a significant upward trend in· the consumption of milk, green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, and citrus fruits-the so-called protective foods-all of which are extremely rich in those nutrients that are often deficient in low-cost diets. The total weight of food consumed per person per year has remained fairly constant, but there has been a downward trend for meats, grain products, and potatoes, and the use of the protective foods has been …

Steps Toward Crab Conservation In Chesapeake Bay, Mildred Sandoz

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Blue crabs have increased in abundance in Chesapeake Bay since 1941, but In that year an acute shortage developed which threatened the entire fishery. 'IThe serious decline of the fishery, which began in 1940, demonstrated the necessity of finding a way of assuring rapid recovery and preventing a recurrence of similar shortages. One significant step in this direction was taken by the Commission of Fisheries of Virginia in 1941, upon the request of the Hampton Crab Packers Association. A large sanctuary was established at the mouth of the bay, closed to crab fishing during July and August, to protect egg-bearing …

Methods Of Hatching Eggs Of The Blue Crab, Margaret S. Lochhead, Curtis L. Newcombe

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The blue crab, Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, is the only important marketable crustacean in Chesapeake Bay. While this body of water may be regarded as a center of its numerical distribution, blue crabs in the United States range from Cape Cod south to Texas. Their economic importance is indicated by records of the Federal Government which report for the four-year period 1936-39, an annual average of over 82 million hard crabs valued at about $526,000 from Virginia and 56 million worth about $382,000 from Maryland. Soft crab catches in the two states during this period were approximately the same, amounting in …

Observations On The Conservation Of The Chesapeake Blue Crab, Callinectes Sapidus Rathbun, Curtis L. Newcombe, Ellen H. Gray

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It is a matter of common knowledge among conservationists that the blue crab supply of the Chesapeake is rapidly declining, being reduced from a level of about 17 millions in 1931 to that of about 10 million crabs in 1937. (Md. Rept. 1937). Numerous explanations have been advanced to account for this decline. One outstanding reason is the taking of such large numbers of "sponge" (berried) crabs and mated female crabs, a practice which undoubtedly reduces the potential supply of young crabs for the ensuing year.

Another menace to the survival of the blue crab lies in the way in …

Conserving Our Salt-Water Fisheries: Work Of The Virginia Fisheries Laboratory, Curtis L. Newcombe

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Even the casual visitor to many of our small Tidewater Virginia fishing communities will see signs of diminishing prosperity. A prosperous era has been succeeded by a period of lower economic and social levels.

What are the underlying causes of this declining trend? In facing this problem, so broad in its scope and so serious in its effect, the Virginia Fisheries Laboratory has, during the past year, effected an organization for analyzing conditions in our commercial fisheries and for disseminating facts about them and the need for their conservation.