Browsing by Author "Heffernan, Thomas L."
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Item Basic Survey and Inventory of Commercial Oyster Population in Aransas Bay(Texas Game and Fish Commission, 1959) Heffernan, Thomas L.Objective: Effort has been directed toward the formulation of an accurate survey of the relative abundance of commercial oyster populations in the Aransas Bay area as an aid in determining potential conservation methods and increasing the annual oyster harvest.Item Bibliography of Oyster Research(Texas Game and Fish Commission, 1959) Heffernan, Thomas L.No abstract available.Item Bibliography of Oyster Research - Survey of the Major Oyster Fishery Reefs and Associated Organisms in Area M-6(Texas Game and Fish Commission, 1960) Heffernan, Thomas L.; Texas Game and Fish Commission project reports, 1959-60A brief bibliography of reports applying to oyster research in the Galveston Bay system.Item Coast Wide Survey of the Oyster Parasite, Dermocystidium marinum - Survey of Oyster Populations and Associated Organisms(Texas Game and Fish Commission Marine Laboratory, 1963) Heffernan, Thomas L.Objectives: To determine the distribution of the parasite, Dermocystidium marinum; to determine the effects upon oyster populations; and to contribute to researchers any information that will aid in discovering a control for the disease.Item Computation, Analysis and Preparation of Coastwide Oyster Population Data - Survey of Oyster Population and Associated Organisms(Texas Game and Fish Commission Marine Laboratory, 1963) Heffernan, Thomas L.; Texas Game and Fish Commission Marine Fisheries Project Reports 1961-1962Galveston Bay, Matagorda Bay, San Antonio Bay, Aransas Bay and South Bay areas were sampled at a total of nineteen stations to determine the population characteristics and fluctuations of oysters on the Texas coast. Population samples taken at monthly intervals from these stations showed heavy spat setting occurred in June 1962 and continued in moderation through December 1962. Survival of spat and seed class oysters ranged from moderate in Galveston Bay to excellent in the lower coastal bays. No extensive natural mortalities were noted in any of the bay areas and the number of market-sized oysters increased in nearly all the bays. Dermocystidium marinum incidence maintained a high level, but no mortalities were associated with the fungus. Oyster populations in Aransas Bay have recovered from the 1959 die-off and are once again approaching an overcrowded conditions for lack of harvesting. Artificial reefs, built in Aransas and Matagorda Bays, have been extremely successful and have attained the characteristics of natural oyster reefs.Item Dermocystidium marinum Survey of the Oyster Reefs in Area MO-2 - Survey of the Oyster Fishery in Area MO-2(Texas Game and Fish Commission Marine Laboratory, 1962) Heffernan, Thomas L.Dermocystidium marinum incidence recordings have been made of reefs in Aransas, Copano, Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Espiritu Santo, Matagorda, and East Matagorda Bays. The fungus has been found in all the bays listed, with the exception of Corpus Christi Bay. Incidence recordings have been slightly lower during the 1960-1961 survey than those taken the previous survey year of 1959-1960.Item Development of an Artificial Oyster Reef in Aransas Bay - Survey of the Major Oyster Fishing Reefs and Associated Organisms(Texas Game and Fish Commission, 1960-07-31) Heffernan, Thomas L.Objectives: To develop an artificial oyster reef in the Aransas Bay area to supplement production. Aransas Bay was closed to oystering in December, 1959, due to excessive mortalities on the natural reefs during the late summer months. Cause and effect are described in Job Report B-3b under Project Number MO-2-R-2 and Project Report MO-R-2.Item The effect of oilfield brine on the Mission River, Aransas Bay area.(Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 1972) Heffernan, Thomas L.; Coastal Fisheries project reportsNo abstract availableItem Hydrographic and Climatological Data of Area M-6(Texas Game and Fish Commission, 1959) Heffernan, Thomas L.Salinity averages for Aransas Bay during the project year of 1957-1958 was 18.61 o/oo. For the 1958-1959 project year the average was 19.53 o/oo. Lowest recording for 1957-1958 was 4.03 o/oo in March, 1958. Lowest recording for 1958-1959 was 13.75 o/oo for December, 1958. Highest recording for the 1957-1958 year was 33.58 o/oo for August, 1958 and the highest for the 1958-1959 year was 33.59 o/oo in September, 1958. Comparison graphs are shown for the two stations in Figure 1. The yearly salinity average for Copano Bay in the 1958-1959 year was 11.76 o/oo. Salinity averages for each month are shown in Figure 2. Rainfall records at the Marine Laboratory in Rockport showed a total of 36.08 inches from June, 1958 through May, 1959. Aransas Bay water temperatures ran from a high of 30.27 degrees Centrigrade to a low of 11.14. Copano Bay ran from a high of 29.8 to a low of 10.7.Item Inventory of the Bottom Sediment Types Present in Area M-6(Texas Game and Fish Commission, 1959) Heffernan, Thomas L.Objective: To determine the bottom composition of the area and to chart the bottom sediments as a guide for possible location of proposed artificial reefs or reef expansion.Item Invertebrate Species Associated with the Oyster Reefs in Area M-6(Texas Game and Fish Commission, 1959) Heffernan, Thomas L.Objective: To determine the invertebrate species present on the Aransas and Copano Bay oyster reefs, the relative abundance, and distribution.Item Plotting and Survey of the Major Oyster Reefs in Aransas, Copano and Mesquite Bays - Survey of Oyster Populations and Associated Organisms(Texas Game and Fish Commission Marine Laboratory, 1963) Heffernan, Thomas L.Objectives: To survey and plot the major oyster reefs in Aransas, Copano and Mesquite Bays and estimate the acreage of each.Item Study of Oyster Growth and Population Structure in Aransas, Mesquite and Copano Bays - Survey of Oyster Populations and Associated Organisms(Texas Game and Fish Commission Marine Laboratory, 1963) Heffernan, Thomas L.Population studies conducted in Aransas, Mesquite and Copano Bays have shown an increase in growth rate and population abundance over that found during the 1961-1962 study. Dermocystidium marinum, a parasite fungus prevalent in the area, did not cause any noticeable mortalities, a factor which was reflected by an increase in survival rate of commercial size oysters. Salinities in Aransas, Mesquite and Copano Bays have shown a correlated increase with a decrease in precipitation. Salinities during the late summer months extended above the 25.0 ppt average and in some areas were as high as 38.0 ppt creating conditions comparable to those found during the 1951-1957 drought.Item Study of Oyster Growth and Population Structure in Aransas, Mesquite, and Copano Bays - Survey of Oyster Populations and Associated Organisms(Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 1964) Heffernan, Thomas L.Population studies conducted in Aransas, Mesquite, and Copano Bays have shown a decline in oyster abundance as a result of high mortalities in Aransas Bay and Mesquite Bay. Poor spawning and setting success in the three-bay area have been attributed to increased salinities and lack of fresh water.Item Survey and Inventory of the Invertebrate Forms Associated with the Oyster Reefs in Aransas and Copano Bays - Survey of the Major Oyster Fishing Reefs and Associated Organisms in Area MO-2(Texas Game and Fish Commission, 1960-07-13) Heffernan, Thomas L.Objective: To determine the invertebrate population present, the relative abundance and distribution.Item Survey and Mapping of the Oyster Reefs in Aransas and Copano Bays - Survey of the Oyster Fishery in Area MO-2(Texas Game and Fish Commission Marine Laboratory, 1962) Heffernan, Thomas L.Preliminary surveys were made to locate the general locations of the oyster reefs in Aransas and Copano Bays. Reef measurement was accomplished by marking points along the perimeter of each oyster reef and plotting the perimeter marker with a sextant. Reef areas were computed by transposing the reef outlines on Geodetic Survey maps and deriving acreage from the scale of the map. To date, five reefs in Aransas Bay have been plotted and measured using this means.Item Survey of adult red drum (Sciaenops ocellata), 1973(Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 1973) Heffernan, Thomas L.; Coastal Fisheries project reportsSurf zone samples were collected with nets, multi-hook bottom and surface lines and rod and reel to obtain availability patterns of adult red drum (Sciaenops ocellata) along the Texas coast. Adult red drum did not consistently appear in the surf zone until late November when significant catches were obtained near Cedar Bayou.Item Survey of Counts, Weights, and Measurements Compiled from the Oyster Shucking Houses in Area MO-2 - Survey of the Oyster Fishery in Area MO-2(Texas Game and Fish Commission Marine Laboratory, 1962) Heffernan, Thomas L.A survey of the weights and measurements used by the commercial shucking houses showed errors in the conversion factors used in estimating the numbers of gallons of oyster meats to a barrel and the weight of a gallon of oysters.Item Survey of Oyster Diseases in Aransas Bay - Survey of Oyster Populations and Associated Organisms(Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 1964) Heffernan, Thomas L.Mortalities among oysters (Crassostrea virginica) in Aransas Bay were surveyed by use of tray-held oysters at two locations. Live and gaping oysters found during the study were fixed with Zenker's Fixative and shipped to Dr. J. G. Mackin of Texas A&M University for disease analysis. Field data collections and Dermocystidium marinum checks were made by personnel of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Three distinct mortalities appeared during the study period of January 1963 through June 1964. These occurred in March-May 1963, October-December 1963, and in April-June 1964. The mortality in March, April, and May 1963 depleted to original stock of oysters at both stations. In August 1963, the stations at Pintail Reef and Half Moon Reef were restocked with 2,000 oysters each. The two subseqent mortalities had depleted this stocking by June 1964. Dermocystidium marinum checks made throughout the study period showed relative low incidence ratings during mortality periods and did not indicate that D. marinum was the primary mortality agent. Identification and information pertaining to the mortality agent will be presented in a later report by Dr. J. G. Mackin.Item Survey of Oyster Diseases in Aransas Bay - Survey of Oyster Populations and Associated Organisms(Texas Game and Fish Commission Marine Laboratory, 1963) Heffernan, Thomas L.Objectives: To study a controlled group of oysters through microscopic analysis to determine the oyster diseases present and to evaluate their effect upon oysters.