Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India

Indian experience of large scale cultured marine pearl production using Pinctada fucata (Gould) from southeast coast of India: A critical review

Volume 57 Issue 2

I. Jagadis, A.C.C. Victor, Boby Ignatius, D. Kandasami and A. Chellam

10.6024/jmbai.2015.57.2.1823 - 09

Abstract

In India, research on marine pearl culture was started in 1972 and the first cultured marine pearl from Pinctada fucata was rolled out a year later through the earnest efforts of Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi (CMFRI) at its Tuticorin Research Centre. Subsequently,improvements of the technology were made by various scientists involved at different centres of CMFRI focussing on different issues of marine pearl culture. Information on different aspects of marine pearl culture such as surveys for stock position, ecology of pearl beds, small scale experimental culture of mother oysters, surgical nucleation and spherical pearl and designer pearl production (‘mabe’) has already been published in various sources including few instances of technology transfers to entrepreneurs/fisher folk. Though, the experimental results were encouraging, anticipated technology transfer did not take place subsequently.

Keywords

Pinctada fucata, India, seed production, large scale pearl production, marketing, review

Date : 22-12-2015