Man Replaces Nature in Creating Young Oysters

The black-lipped pearl oyster lives in Polynesian lagoons attached to coral. At certain times of the year, these oysters produce spawn that are then fertilized in the lagoon waters.

These young oysters are known as "spats", a term whose origin is unknown but dates back to 1667. When Nature is the "pearl farmer", the spats float freely for a month and then either fix themselves to the coral or die buried in the sand.

When Man is in charge, pearl farmers collect the spats by submerging articifical collectors into the lagoons (see photo). These collectors are usually made from polythene shade screen that has been immersed on long lines some 3-5 meters (9.8-16.4 feet) below the surface.

The best times of the year for the spats to attach themselves to the collectors are during the change in seasons, particularly at the beginning of the southern hemisphere's summer in late December. The young oysters continue to grow for more than three years, suspended from these underwater lines. They are looked after very carefully and are cleaned several times.

Settled spats are collected at the end of each year. They are placed in polythene bags (see photo) and are immersed on long lines at depths of 5-7 meters (16.4-22.9 feet) into lagoon waters that are deeper than 15 meters (49.2 feet). During grow-out the young oysters are separated from each other.

They are cleaned regularly every 3-6 months and, following a year-long growth, are pierced near their hinge so that they can be further suspended on long lines for another year before it's time for Man to once again simulate the work of Nature.