Potential for development of pearl culture

Subsequent to the development of technology \nfor pearl culture by the Central Marine Fisheries \nResearch Institute at Tuticorin in 1972 (Alagarswami, \n1974), the Department of Fisheries of \nLakshadweep evinced interest in exploring the \npossibility of establishing pearl culture in the \nislands. Pearl oysters were located in the \nislands, collected and reared from time to time. \nThe programme took a more definite shape \nafter some of the Officers of the Department of \nFisheries were trained in pearl culture at the \nCMFR Institute at Tuticorin in 1979 and again \nin 1983 and 1986. Experimental pearl culture \nwas initiated in Agatti and Bangaram and some \ncultured pearls have been produced. By way of \nfostering their effort further, the Institute \nsupplied 10,C00 spat of Pinctada fucata raised \nin the pearl oyster hatchery ar Tuticorin for \ntransplantation in Lakshadweep. During the \nindicative survey of the fisheries potential of \nLakshadweep carried out by the CMFR Institute \nduring January-March, 1987, first-hand information \nwas collected on the occurrence of \npearl oyster in the islands and the status of \nexperimental pearl culture being carried out in \nAgatti and Bangaram. The information is \npresented in this paper and potential for pearl \nculture in Lakshaweep is discussed.