Pearl Culture in Abalone
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Pearl culture in abalone Item Type article Download date 30/09/2021 03:28:49 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/1834/34693 TECHNOLOGIES FOR FARMING THE SEA Pearl culture in abalone Pearl culture in The nucleus must be secured against the m ove the abaloneHaliotis is ment of the abalone's muscular foot. Following carried out in Japan, Konucleation, the mobile abalones are placed in a rea, Canada, and thesecure enclosure to prevent their escape. In United States. The qual British Columbia and California, screened plas ity of abalone pearls, astic drums suspended in the sea are used. Aba determined by surface lones must be fed at least weekly with the kelp texture, is superior to Macrocystis, and the seaweedsGracilaria, those produced in freshwater mussels and comLaminaria, andNereocystis. Fouling organisms, parable to those of the marine pearl oystersea stars, and octopuses must be regularly Pinctada. Abalone pearls are priced at aboutremoved from the culture area. US$300 for a 13-millimeter AAA grade Within several days following nucleation, semispherical or mabe piece. a thin chalky layer is secreted against and around The farmer can grow pearls in 6-8 cmthe nucleus. Then, a thick, tan-brown layer of abalones for a year or so. This size of abalone,conchiolin is deposited. Conchiolin forms the however, takes about 3 years to grow. Hatchfoundation for a layer of porcelain-like, prismatic ery-bred abalone seed cost Canadian $16 peraragonite crystals, and a layer of nacreous pound. Pearl culture can take 3-18 monthsaragonite. In a properly cultured abalone pearl, depending on water temperature, and agethe and conchiolin is about 1 mm thick. In Vancou food of abalone. But the abalone can be ver,sold semispherical pearls can be cultured in as food, and production costs can be more thanHaliotis kamtschatcana to a diameter of 17 mm. offset by the price of the pearls. In Japan, pearls can be grown to 22 mm in Pearls are produced by nucleation, whereHaliotis discus. plastic, soapstone, or mother-of-pearl is slipped beneath the mantle epithelium of the abalone. Source: P Fankboner.Pearl culture in abalone. INFOFISH International 4/91. SEA BASS CAGES IN MALAYSIA ... FROM PAGE 12 New Zealand cumb easily to diseases and parasites. Mass mortalities of fish have occurred in a number of cage A mussel farm is usually 3 hectares withfarms. 10 surface longlines. The farm is sited in areas with a current flow of 0-4 knots, in unexposed,Cage culture booms, nonetheless semi-enclosed bays and moderately exposed In spite of these problems, sea bass farming open seas with depths of 5-40 meters. Spats are has so far managed to sustain its boom in Malaysia. collected where they are abundant by “catching In 1989, the sea bass production of 1538 tons was ropes" and transferred to farms. It takes 1-621% higher than the preceding year. In fact, production months for the mussel to grow to the idealhas been increasing steadily over the last 5-6 years. reseeding size of 10-20 mm. The mussels takeWith good management and attention to some of the 10-12 months to grow to market sizes in reseededproblems being faced, there is every likelihood of a lines. further increase in production in the future. Source: P Large.Mussel culture success. IN FO FISH Source: T Singh.Malaysia enjoys the sea bass International 4/89. boom. INFOFISH International 2/91. Aqua Farm News Vol. XII (No. 1) January-February 1994 15.