DEVELOPMENT OF BLACK PEARL FARMING METHODS SUITABLE FOR HAWAII AND OPEN LAGOONS OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC

THE SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT OF RELIABLE, LARGE-SCALE, HATCHERY TECHNIQUES FOR THE HAWAIIAN BLACK-LIP PEARL OYSTER NOW OPENS UP THE POTENTIAL FOR BLACK PEARL FARMING IN NEW AREAS ACROSS THE PACIFIC. EFFICIENT, COST-EFFECTIVE, GROW-OUT TECHNIQUES NEED TO BE DEVISED FOR THE HIGH-ENERGY MARINE CONDITIONS IN HAWAII AND OPEN ATOLL LAGOONS OF THE U.S.-AFFILIATED PACIFIC. CULTURE TRIALS WILL COMPARE TRADITIONAL SUB-SURFACE LONG-LINES WITH SEVERAL MORE DURABLE TECHNIQUES (TRESTLES, RAISED PLATFORMS, AND BOTTOM RACKS). GROWTH WILL BE COMPARED FOR OYSTERS IN NET PANELS, ON DOWN-LINES, ON RACKS ABOVE SOFT AND HARD BOTTOM, AND ON RAISED PLATFORMS. PREDATION WILL BE ASSESSED USING PROTECTIVE MESH BAGS AND CAGES AROUND OYSTERS OF DIFFERENT AGES. PREDATION WILL BE ASSESSED USING PROTECTIVE MESH BAGS AND CAGES AROUND OYSTERS OF DIFFERENT AGES. EASE OF MAINTENANCE AND CLEANING THE OYSTERS WILL BE EVALUATED. SITES WILL RNAGE FROM WELL-PROTECTED (PEARL HARBOR) TO HIGHLY EXOPOSED (KEALAKEKUA BAY). WATER QUALITY AND FOOD DENSITY WILL BE MONITORED MONTHLY AT EACH SITE AND CORRELATED WITH GROWTH SURVIVAL AND PEARL QUALITY. OYSTERS WILL BE SEEDED FOR HALF-PEARLS, AND PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENTS MADE OF PEARL VALUE. PHASE II TRIALS WILL FOCUS ON THOSE SITES WHICH PROVIDE BEST RESULTS. OCEAN-BASED GROW-OUT WILL ALSO BE COMPARED WITH LAND-BASED FARMS USING RAW SEAWATERFROM THESE SITES. ROUND PEARLS WILL BE SEEDED AND HARVESTED IN PHASE II.