Abstract
Pearl oyster farming is a unique form of aquaculture because the final product is not the oyster itself but the precious gem that the pearl oysters produce, with Pinctada maxima producing the most valuable pearls in the world, the South Sea pearls. Pearl farms need available stock that can be collected from nature or can be produced in the hatchery. One of the main concerns of pearl oyster hatcheries is to provide oysters with the best quality traits to produce the best pearls. Genetic programs are used to improve these traits and increase profitability. However, the development of a genetic program is likely to be more effective if the producer can control the reproduction of the cultured species. In the case of P. maxima little is known about its natural reproductive cycle. The present study is designed to examine the reproductive biology of the pearl oyster, P. maxima, and develop approaches to improve the manipulation of the sex ratio and conditioning to enable their better control in commercial hatcheries.