Stimulating investment in pearl farming in ... - World Fish Center

% survival10090HatcheryWild8070605040302010015-Jul 14-Aug 14-Sep 14-Oct 14-Nov 14-Dec 14-JanDateFigure 14. Survival of wild-caught and hatchery-reared spat in intermediate culturetrays. Points are means of eight replicates ± standard error.6 Juvenile growthThe next major stage in farming pearl oysters is the transfer of juveniles to dropperlines or “chaplets”. The minimum size of shell for drilling and transfer to chaplets hasbeen found to be 65 mm. The minimum size for seeding oysters with pearls has been100 mm. Growth to chaplet size was discussed in section 3 and shown to require upto 8 months, depending on spat size at collection (Figure 15). The next growth phaseof relevance is that to seeding size from first hanging on chaplets.6.1 Growth to seeding sizeThere has been little research on this stage of culture in Solomon Islands. Figure 15reproduces data from an ACIAR report (Friedman et al 1997; Friedman an Southgate,1999) showing the growth of spat from a range of starting sizes over five months inintermediate culture (helical culture was not used) and growth of 80 individuals infour size classes transferred from intermediate culture to chaplets.17