Fisheries Research Contract Report No. 10 - Mother-of-pearl shell (Pinctada maxima): Stock evaluation for management and future harvesting in Western Australia

Authors

Anthony M. Hart, Department of Fisheries, Western Australia
Kim J. Friedman, Department of Fisheries, Western Australia

Files

Description

The West Australian Pearling industry is one of Australia's most valuable aquaculture industries, currently generating around $120 - $160 million annually. The majority of pearl shell used to culture pearls come from the pearling beds in the inshore waters near Broome. The fishery for pearl oysters preferentially targets smaller (120mm - 165mm DVM) shell (hereafter defined as 'culture' shell), that are more suitable for culturing of pearls, leaving larger MOP oysters (175mm+) on the pearling grounds. These larger pearl oysters, the majority of which are female (protandric hermaphrodites), form a major component of the broodstock for the

fishery. Although MOP are currently protected by the 'gauntlet' strategy adopted by the fishery, historically, MOP were harvested in large numbers to service the trade in shell buttons and other nacre products. The harvest of MOP, which occurred for most of the 20th century, was discontinued in the mid 1980's as the markets declined and the requirement for 'culture' shells (120 mm to 170mm DVM) became into the main focus. With almost 20 years of protection from fishing mortality, there has been a build up of MOP on some pearling grounds, leading to proposals to commercialise this component of the fishery.

ISBN

1877098 61 2

ISSN

1446-5868

Publication Date

11-2004

Series Number

10

Publisher

Department of Fisheries, Western Australia

City

Perth

Keywords

Silver-lipped pearl oyster, Pinctada maxima, Mother-of-Pearl, MOP (Mother-of-Pearl), Population dynamics, Growth, Mortality, Fecundity, Western Australia

Disciplines

Aquaculture and Fisheries | Management Information Systems | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | Marine Biology | Natural Resource Economics | Natural Resources Management and Policy | Operations and Supply Chain Management

Recommended Citation

Hart, A M, and Friedman, K J. (2004), Fisheries Research Contract Report No. 10 - Mother-of-pearl shell (Pinctada maxima): Stock evaluation for management and future harvesting in Western Australia. Department of Fisheries, Western Australia, Perth. Book 10.
https://library.dpird.wa.gov.au/fr_frcr/11