Pearl oyster health management : a manual

The pearl oysicr industry is a growing multibillion dollar sector of mollusc aquaculture. Pearl farming occurs throughout Australasia, the Middle East and South America. Few species of molluscs possess the ability to produce pearls of gem quality. The South Sea pearl oyster is one of them. Pearl production in the wild is an unpredictable and uncontrolled event which human intervention, through pearl culture, has progressively overcome by improving culture practices. Farming mother-of-pearls shares commonalties with edible mollusc aquaculture. However, the endproduct, pearl production, is unique to this sector. In aquatic production, health issues are of utmost importance; pearl production is based entirely upon health. The pearl itself is a product of the oyster's immune defences as a response to soli-tissui irritation. Exploited stocks receive frequent