Oyster Spatfall in Virginia Rivers: 1985 Annual Survey

The Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) conducts weekly surveys from June through early October to obtain oyster spatfall information. Spat counts are made on oyster shells strung qn wire and suspended from stakes on public and private beds. The number of spat on shells is counted each week of the spawning season to determine the potential of a particular area for receiving a strike and to predict the most likely period the strikes will occur