During the period of 1988-1990, the authors investigated the effects of location, salinity, and depth on recruitment and growth of the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica in Pamlico and Core Sounds, North Carolina, with the purpose of determining how the environment (location, depth, and salinity) affected oyster demography (recruitment and growth) in the coastal waters of North Carolina. It was determined that recruitment was generally greater in the high salinity sites, compared to low salinity sites. Recruitment was less at shallow depths, compared to deeper depths. In all three years the highest recruitment occurred in August and September, corresponding to the months of maximum water temperature. Recruitment was highly variable in space and time, but appeared to diminish from 1988 to 1990. Recruitment was reduced by sedimentation and a variety of sessile organisms. All sites appeared to have a similar potential for growth.