Cultured Conch - Here we come!

[jshepherd]

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Florida Atlantic University is getting a $200,000 state grant to help produce and market cultured queen conch pearls.

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/10/02/1853569/florida-technology-transfer-grants.html#ixzz11FDoGHQl

 

[GemGeek]

Hector and Megan will be speaking at the Accredited Gemologists Association conference in Tucson. I know he wanted to continue with the culturing. Maybe these funds will get him back to Florida?

 

[SteveM]

Hector and Megan will be speaking at the Accredited Gemologists Association conference in Tucson. I know he wanted to continue with the culturing. Maybe these funds will get him back to Florida?

I would look forward to meeting H?ctor in Tucson. I hope he is a beneficiary of his own work.

However, the funding projects selected as examples (pearl culturing, high-tech baby pacifier, weight loss gimmicks), indicate to me that the reporter is more likely trying to incite public outrage against wasteful public spending in these economic times. To which one could easily argue that a Florida cultured conch industry would eventually represent a significant source of tax income.

But that pacifier is puzzling.

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

a $200,000 state grant...

Quite the subsidy.

Must be alot of knotted strings attached.

I wonder how much of this research will be made public?

 

[hacostas]

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Florida Atlantic University is getting a $200,000 state grant to help produce and market cultured queen conch pearls.

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/10/02/1853569/florida-technology-transfer-grants.html#ixzz11FDoGHQl

This was released today by FAU http://newsblaze.com/story/2010101806202800008.wi/topstory.html

 

[pattye]

Hector,

Thank you for the update! Will you continue to be directly involved with this work? We certainly hope so!!

 

[KAC]

I see they are using a bead implant so I guess there will be a way to detect natural versus cultured conch. I can't help but think some collectors will not like the idea of farmed conch pearls.