| Australia, the world's
largest producer of white South Sea
pearls, is set to add another pearl
category to its fame - black pearls. |
| |
| A group of farmers in
Western Australia who have been
attempting to cultivate black pearls for
some years are reporting success. The
pearls are generally from 8mm to 10mm,
and from second operations can be up to
12mm. Hues are lighter and in a variety
of colours including greens and pinks,
the farmers said. |
| |
| The Fisheries
Department in Western Australia has
issued 22 licenses for black pearl
farming and the area covered by the
licenses is approximately 6,500 hectares
of water. |
| |
| Five hatcheries are
producing shell and all licenses are
being actively farmed, aquaculture
development officer at the Fisheries
Department in Perth, Dan Machin, said. |
| |
| In addition to Pinctada
margaritifiera, or black-lipped oysters,
farmers are also using Albina albina
shell and Pteria penguin, or wing shell. |
| |
| Most of the cultivation
is centered around the Abrohlos Islands
and Shark Bay in Western Australia but
other regions where licenses have been
issued include Exmouth Gulf, Gascoyne
region, Cape Preston, Pilbara region,
Cone Bay and Dampier Peninsula, Mr
Machin said. |
| |
| Black pearls is rapidly
becoming an important aquaculture
business in the region and by 2010 it
has been estimated that it will be one
of the top four aquaculture sectors in
Western Australia, he said. |
| |
| The department
estimates that the value of pearls
produced at farm-gate value will be
between Au$20 million and Au$30 million
by 2010. "This is based on aquaculture
production returns. The sector would be
worth more if production returns were
valued further up the value chain." |
|
| The State government
sees the sector as a potential income
and employment generator and about
AU$760,000 is to be invested in a pearl
industry training project at the Central
West College of a total budget of Au$5.1
million at the Coast Marine Centre. The
project will focus on seeding and
harvesting black-lipped pearl oysters
for production of black pearls, the
College said in May 2003. A further
$240,000 regional assistance grant has
also been allocated, and the project
will support sustainable employment and
skills development. The project aims to
have trained ten technicians by the end
of 2005, the College said. |
