The Basic Methods of Pearl Farming: A Layman's Manual - CTSA

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Basic Methods of Pearl FarmingPage 4
A short history of pearl cultureA short history of pearl culturePearls were the first gems discovered by man thousands of years ago. Since that time, people of manycultures have recognized the beauty and value of pearls. Pearls are the only organic gems and requireno processing to reveal their natural beauty. At first, people relied on the chance finding of naturalpearls in a variety of species of marine bivalves and freshwater mussels. Natural pearls are rare asperhaps maybe 1 in 2,000 pearl oysters contain a natural pearl. Natural pearls are formed when thepearl oyster reacts to an irritant by coating it with nacre, the shiny iridescent material found on the innersurface of the shell. Natural pearls are usually small, of various colors and irregular in shape. The highvalue of natural pearls led to the creation of pearl fisheries in nearly every part of the world where pearlproducingmollusks were found. Most of these pearl fisheries were short-lived because the fisherssoon over-exploited the natural stocks.Prompted by the high value and scarcity of naturalpearls, Japanese researchers developed methods thatbrought pearl production under the control of humansin the early twentieth century. These “cultured pearls”are generally larger and of a more consistent size andcolor than natural pearls. Producing cultured pearlsdepends on a surgical procedure called grafting,which entails surgically implanting an artificialnucleus (shell bead) into the tissue of a pearl oyster.The oyster then secretes nacre around the nucleus.After several years of caring for the oysters, the culturedpearls are harvested.Figure 1. Black-Lip pearl oyster in its natural habitat,a coral reef of the Cook Islands.(photograph: Maria Haws).Several species of pearl oysters are cultivated for pearlproduction. This manual focuses on the Black-Lip pearloyster (Pinctada margaritifera). Black-Lip pearl oystersare the most common species of pearl oyster foundin the South Pacific islands (Figure 1). The Black-Lippearl oyster is distinguished from other species by thedark, iridescent nacre found on the inner shell.Figure 2. Black pearls resting on the shell of aBlack-lip pearl oyster (Pinctada margaritifera).(photograph: Maria Haws)Pearls produced by Black-Lip pearl oysters are knownas “black pearls” or “Tahitian black pearls” (Figure 2).Black pearls are large, usually over 7 mm (0.28 in) indiameter and may be as large as 22 mm (0.8 in). Note:Pearls are always measured in millimeters within thePage 5
Page 1 and 2: CTSA Publication No. 127The Basic M
Page 3 and 4: Table of ContentsTable of ContentsA
Page 5 and 6: AcknowledgmentsAcknowledgmentsThe a
Page 7: IntroductionIntroductionThe purpose
Page 11 and 12: Benefits of pearl cultureBenefits o
Page 13 and 14: Basic biology and ecologyBasic biol
Page 15 and 16: Basic biology and ecologyPearl oyst
Page 17 and 18: Overview of pearl farmingOverview o
Page 19 and 20: Determining if pearl farming is pos
Page 25 and 26: Selecting a siteSelecting a site fo
Page 27 and 28: How to setup the farmHow to setup t
Page 29 and 30: How to setup the farmA word about d
Page 31 and 32: How to setup the farm3. Underwater
Page 33 and 34: Preparing the pearl oysters for han
Page 35 and 36: Guidelines for keeping pearl oyster
Page 37 and 38: General farm managementGeneral farm
Page 39 and 40: Handling and transportHandling and
Page 41 and 42: Handling and transportTransporting
Page 43 and 44: Spat collectionSpat collectionSpat
Page 45 and 46: Spat collectionLeave about 13 in (3
Page 47 and 48: Spat collectionIn the southern hemi
Page 49 and 50: Spat collectionSpat are very sensit
Page 51 and 52: Disease and other causes of deathDi
Page 53 and 54: Disease and other causes of deathOt
Page 55 and 56: Nucleus implantation (grafting)Nucl
Page 57 and 58: Nucleus implantation (grafting)Pear
Page 59 and 60:
Nucleus implantation (grafting)Post
Page 61 and 62:
HarvestHarvestHarvest pearls when t
Page 63 and 64:
Half-pearl (mabe) implantationHalf-
Page 65 and 66:
Half-pearl (mabe) implantationFigur
Page 67 and 68:
Selling pearls and pearl productsSe
Page 69 and 70:
Selling pearls and pearl productsOn
Page 71 and 72:
AppendixAppendixBudgets for small a
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($48,145 - $38,713)AppendixTable 2.
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Table 5. Costs (for operating farm
Page 77 and 78:
GlossaryGlossaryBaroque: irregularl
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SuppliersSuppliers of aquaculture a
Page 81 and 82:
SuppliersAquatic Ecosystems Inc.176
Page 83 and 84:
BibliographyBibliographyGeorge, C.D
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The Basic Methods of Pearl Farming: A Layman's Manual - CTSA

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