Salty sea slows
oyster growth
THE BATTALION
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1978
Page 7
United Press International
GALVESTON-A Texas A&M University marine scientist de
scribed the devastating oyster losses in Galveston Bay in recent years
as a natural phenomenon.
From 1976 to 1977, the Galveston Bay system produced a limited
oyster set. The young oysters, for reasons unknown at the time, were
not attaching to the reefs.
Oystermen believed there was something affecting the reproduct
ive systems of the oysters. Also, there was the possibility there were
not enough setting surfaces for the young oysters to attach them
selves.
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Neither theory was correct, said Dr. Sammy Ray, director of the
School of Marine Technology at Moody College in Galveston.
“We are dealing with a natural phenomenon,” said Ray. “I think it
was a matter of salinity. Oysters can live in a wide range of saline
conditions. However, the natural enemies of the oyster are much
more prevalent in high salinity water,” he said.
Like crops on land, there are wet and dry years for oysters. In this
case, their survival is dependent on the fresh water flow into Galves
ton Bay from the interior of the state.
Ray’s research team cooperated with the Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department and local oystermen, using Texas A&M Organized Re
search funds to conduct the one-year study. Organized Research is a
state appropriation to fund research of benefit to all Texans.
Ray said the primary difference between a good year and the two
bad years was in the concentration of salt in the water during the
spring of this year and the springs of 1976 and 1977.
In 1976 and 1977, there had been flooding on the Trinity River
which resulted in depressed salinity during the usual spawning sea
son in May. In 1978, a drought condition existed during winter and
early spring which Ray believes helped produce a good spring oyster
set.
Ray said that after a year of study the scientists know the bay’s
oysters did develop reproductive cells in 1976 and 1977. They did
discharge the cells. The larvae did develop.
This spring there was a tremendous oyster set which was great for
the oystermen, but it made the task of tracking down the cause of the
previous oyster set failures much more difficult.
This year it seems the good set was due to the reduced amount of
fresh water coming into the bay, Ray said. The reduced fresh water
flow caused by drought conditions favored the development of a new
crop of oysters, said the director.
“It does point out that Galveton Bay, as well as other bays in Texas,
are all part of a dynamic system,’ said Ray. ‘‘The chance for a perfect
oyster set every year is questionable. There are just going to be some
wet years and some dry years.
“The survival and growth of the oyster industry in Texas will be
dependent on the weather as long as matters are left up to fate. There
will be good years like this one, but there is some likelihood that
there could be poor years, as we had in the two years previous,” he
said.
The solution is better management of the resources already there,
said the Galveston-based scientist. One suggestion the marine re
searchers are examining is to move oysters in the fall to areas of low
Bank, state to decide
fate of animal house
By KAREN ROGERS
Battalion StafF
Animals at Exotic Wildlife Unlim
ited must think they are in a zoo.
The Bank of A&M confiscated the
property last April after a loan fore
closure on the owner and it has been 1
trying to sell it ever since.
Patricia May, a California animal
breeder, tried to buy the com
pound, but was asked to move her
belongings off the property last Fri
day when she failed to come up with
the down payment.
Bank officials also closed the
compound to the public and fired
the zoo staff that day, saying they
could no longer afford to keep it
open.
Prospective buyers are visiting
the facility under the supervision of
state and federal game wardens who
are making sure regulations are
being followed.
Sam DeStefano of the Texas Parks
and Wildlife Department said the
state is interested in the javelinas
(wild pigs) and the migratory water
fowl such as ducks, geese and
swans.
The Austin-based department
will take an inventory of the animals
to determine which ones need per
mits before they can be sold.
Some animals already have been
sold and moved to a park in
Missouri. But DeStefano said there
are many animals remaining.
“The jaguars cannot be sold,
period,” DeStefano said. “They are
on the endangered species list and
the statement of their origin has
been destroyed.”
He explained that there must be
proof of where either the animal or
its parents came from before a per
mit can be issued. The jaguars must
be donated to a zoo, he said.
A Texas A&M University veteri
narian, Dr. Charles Dean Brown,
who teaches exotic animal care,
said, “We have taken over anything
involving the animals’ health and to
see that they are taken care of prop
erly.” The vet school will continue
this service until the animals are
sold. The Bank of A&M has hired
workers to feed the animals.
First joint expedition
7 men scale Everest
United Press International
accuse tin salinity where their natural predators and diseases are not quite so
prevalent.
“I realize Texas is known for its shrimp industry. But with the right
management, the oyster production could be stabilized and a more
reliable market could be developed, he said.
Battalion photo by Scott Pendleton
This ostrich looks a bit bewildered, and he has good reason.
He and his friends at Exotic Wildlife Unlimited don’t know
what their future holds, and neither do their keepers. The
Bank of A&M has taken over the park and is trying to sell it.
Meanwhile, veterinary students at Texas A&M University
have been helping take care of the animals.
Unusual ailments reported
undupisE
r any tfaj United Press International
popuhtaj "Deranged knees” and “enraged
• ‘‘ " tonsils reportedly made some
ted pn'al'Hmericans see a doctor last year.
Others saw a physician for “al-
igany in both eyes or “confusion in
KATMANDU, Nepal — Two
separate parties from a French-
West German team climbed
29,028-foot Mount Everest within
hours of each other in the first suc
cessful ascent by a joint expedition.
Four French climbers, including
a 49-year-old former cabinet minis
ter, scaled the world’s highest
mountain Sunday only hours after
three Germans conquered the
Himalayan peak.
The Nepalese Tourism Ministry
said it was the first conquest of
Everest by a joint expedition and
the fifth in the fall climbing season.
The expedition took the normal
southeast ridge route.
The French climbers were Pierre
Mazeaud, former minister of sports
and culture, photographer Kurt
Deimberger and Alpine mountain
guides Jean Afanassieff and Nicholas
Jaeger.
Mazeaud is one of the oldest
mountaineers to climb Everest. He
failed in two previous attempts.
What began as a joint attempt to
scale the peak broke up Saturday
when Mazeaud and two other
partners had to separate from the
German group and turn back when
they discovered their oxygen supply
was insufficient.
Afanassieff, 25, was the first
Frenchman to reach the summit,
and was followed by Jaeger, 32.
Mazeaud, accompanied by Deim
berger, reached the top about 10
minutes later.
The German climbers who
reached the summit Saturday were
Hubert Hillmaier, Josef Mack and
Hans Engl.
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i capturiB!
aid. Hies
00° excel he nose” or “post-natal drip”
land, ate
igress esti
semimental conditions.”
Ingestion of the intestines” and
stomach clamp” are two more of
977 s bothersome medical condi-
ions.
Those unusual maladi
lies are
ing cap*
threat t
ildlife, w
nservate mong patjent descriptions of ail-
an o t lents as reported to interviewers in
36 $18 million Medical Costs Sur-
.. |,- e ^ n un< ^ er wa y f° r the government
sa 1 J y Research Triangle Institute, Re-
the BLfearch Triangle Park, N.C.
The biggest ever health survey is
port said
has "betli
said ]k
athering
miing «
attemptf
of the IS;
and i
hat move
facility
to foil*
“bars
the herd
expected to produce millions of bits
of information for planners of Na
tional Health Insurance.
The funny-sounding conditions
are among 110,000 descriptions of
ailments fed into the survey’s com
puter for future reference. The in
ventory of unusual conditions also
includes “high-pertension,” “blue
venus,” “be-nine tumor” and “spilt
lip.”
Among eye conditions reported
were “vibrating eyes,” “eyes matter
ing” and “flashing eyes.”
One person sought medical care
for “heart hemorrhoids.”
An update on the survey in
“Hypotenuse,” a Research Triangle
Institute publication, notes that one
person reported having “molds re
moved.”
Health problems cited by other
individuals included a recluse
spider bite.-Indian fire and chicken
nails. One respondent’s condition
was listed as “smashed.”
During the household survey
spanning 18 months, the field staff
traveled nearly two million miles
and spent 298,960 hours, including
travel time, surveying an estimated
13,500 households involving 40,000
persons.
The project leader. Dr. Daniel
Horvitz, said a chief motivation be
hind the massive research undertak
ing is to provide information needed
to estimate costs and benefits of var
ious proposals for national health in
surance.
Government officials will have
uses for the survey results other
than assessing health insurance
plans, said Horvitz. The many ap
plications may include determining
the impact of possible changes in
federal income tax provisions relat
ing to medical expenses.
ALPHA ZETA TURKEY SALES
Once again, AZ, the National Agricultural Honor and Ser
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Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. To order turkeys, call:
845-5380 or 822-2088
EVERY WEDNESDAY
TOKYO STCJIK HOUSC
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Monday-Friday, 7-11 p.m. October 12-November 2
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Proceeds will be used for student scholarships and com
munity service projects.