mussel pearls

[pierrettedE]

Slraep, "ahhhhh shoot!" I can't believe you're a woman! I've missed that! After all the posts that i've read from you... you'de think i would have figured that one out by now.

i agree whole-heartedly about the live mussels... I would obviously NOT make a great pearl farmer... hmmm that's pretty much being a hypocrit is it not? gee, maybe i should ... gosh, I'm struggling with my own conscience here...

 

[pierrettedE]

Just in case you are really really interested in our Atlantic mussels.

http://www.glf.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/pe-pe/es-se/mussel-moule/mussel-moule-e.html

My brother is a fisherman with some quahog licenses... the reason behind my interest in concretions found in Atlantic Canadian bi-valves!!

 

[scallop007]

hahaha,,, hey do you guys realize what dfo would say if we were down on the beach wandering around like lost sheep? we might end up needing something to keep us from having to get checked, like the clammer's, they have to keep a sharp eye on the beaches now..

 

[Caitlin]

Please don't do anything illegal! If your mussels are protected, then just take photos.

I and a couple of others here, are mussel nuts and keep an eye on the condition of mussels in the lower 48 where many are endangered. There are various projects going on to raise mussels in tanks to help maintain and/or restore their numbers. You folks up north seem to have a much more pristine area. We'd love anything you can tell us or show us from local folks where ever mussels grow.
This picture from Slraep: Some closeup follow.

 

[Caitlin]

Here is a close up:

 

[Caitlin]

another close up. These are absolutely huge beds with thousands of mussels all snuggled up and singing together.

 

[scallop007]

thanks kaitlin: for the pictures from slrap. clear as a bell the links everyones putting in is great. oh,,, ps i wonder if the "salt slurry" would work to clean up mussel and scallop pearls too, or much grit?
thank you . 007

 

[scallop007]

1mm pearls??

1mm pearls??

hey gang,, i measured those mussel pearls and the smallest is 1.59 mm or 1/16" up to about 3.97 or 5/32. at 1mm i doubt i'd pick them out ,i thought the biggest one's are too small,,lost a few on the floor just trying to measure them, and let way more fall out when i opened them up on the beach from the water inside the shell,, 1mm too small to bother with, any that small would get tossed, unless someone wanted them for some reason,,, thanks 007

 

[scallop007]

great tide for hunting

great tide for hunting

hey pearl people again,, pearl count is up to a little over 200 one real nice little dark blue one ,more purple,, just want to add that ,, thanks ,,,,,,, hey you guys may half to send me something to put some in i'd send ya some back,,, see ya 007

 

[pierrettedE]

hi Scallop007,

How about some pictures?? Where on earth are you going to get so many? We have whole lot of mussel beds but the pearls are quite rare. Rare, as in we'd find one or two every summer in cooked shells.

Check out the beach areas I've got to wander along! Beautiful! Build out little cedar home here in 99 after spending years in the city of Ottawa. Much calmer here

 

[scallop007]

hey nice picture:; the only place so far is down behind cornwallis,in the basin,, dfo was there the other day,,i showed them what we got,they showed me the rules, i have a couple of hurdle's to clear before i can really get down to busness, i'm guessing they think i'm crazy,lol its all closed area,,we got about 300 in 3 tides. they do want to help as best they can.was in gilbert's cove last night,, huge mussels 4-5" and clean(no pearls) and full of meat they were making me hungry,lol .we are going to work our way down st mary's bay,, towards you,(Yarmouth) and see what goes down, might stop in ,lol get the tea pot on ,, 007,, photo's are coming,,

 

[pierrettedE]

hi, If you stop by bring some with you. I have a mean Canon digital with a very good Tripod. We could get decent shots of some of those little blue mussel concretions!!!

P

 

[pierrettedE]

as an aside. question put to, maybe J Norris? The tides in the area where Scallop007 (maybe you should say your name rather than calling you Scallop all the time) visits are some of the highest in the world. Water rushes rather fast and I'm sure there are other factors to consider too. Lots of clay, right? very closed in basin that would obviously get warmer than other areas...

What would produce such a large amount of pearls in mussels?

 

[Valeria101]

What would produce such a large amount of pearls in mussels?

I don't know, but in the light-hearted way of this forum would dare an armchair hypothesis:

Something has to get into the pearl, so there must be some conditions that make this happen allot more and increase the chance of pearl forming TREMENDOUSLY. Parasites do that. Perhaps other diseases too. But how about the surf? Given the right combination of shore configuration, sea bed composition and tide regime, it isn't hard to imagine lots and lots of rough sand rushed in by fast incoming tide or surf. The right conditions might be rare, but then, so are rich pearl beds close to the shore. Surf conditions feature in descriptions of pipi and mabe gai natural beds (at least the one about pipi pearls could be tested here against direct experience!). It must help that shells exposed to surf produce thicker nacre to begin with to insure mechanical resistance.

 

[scallop007]

Ice damage on the beds?

Ice damage on the beds?

hi guys :: you can call me Eric if you like,,,one thing left to question about the reason for all the pearls,, they may be caused by the ice damage there is places on the points of land where the ice has ripped them up and moved them around, there are alot with cracked shells,,,
who knows ,lol so are they akoya?,, where they grow, in saltwater? i guess they are not, so what would they be called? saltwater mussels=??,lol thanks,,

 

[Valeria101]

... so what would they be called? saltwater mussels=?

They must have a scientific name already. And a popular one as seafood. Why not just use that one? It comes down to what you'd call them before adding lemon

'Akoya' is the Japanese popular name of a certain species of bivalve: pinctada fucata. There is a thread about just this HERE.

Can't wait to see these mysterious pearls!

 

[pierrettedE]

hi,

Mytilus edulis, ie blue mussel.

http://www.glf.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/pe-pe/es-se/mussel-moule/mussel-moule-e.html

 

[scallop007]

hi there pierrette and valeria,lol they are real good dipped in butter then vinigar,lol smell them cooking,,hahahaha its open area where you live pierrette,fill your boots. i've borrowed a dig camera, now if i can take some pictures,then know how to post them(i'll ask that later) we will all see whats up. pierrette: have you ever heard of (you will laugh at this one) COD EAR pearls,lol .i met a guy i used to fish with, we got talking about this pearl thing and he claims there are pearls in a cod fishes ear, shaped like a spoon i guess you cut them just behind the eyes,(crossways) split them open, pick them out, they are easy to miss. he claims they are like ivory colored and snow white ones in haddock, when casey's are cutting again i'm taking him down so he can show me some (he claims they are so hard one jeweler broke 7 diamond drills trying to make earrings) ever heard of that? or was he yanking my chain,lol be nice to get a pic of those,,,, oh,btw yes to blue mussels,"dfo"s only info,,but what would the pearls be called, they dont fall in line with these on here,, Eric

 

[pierrettedE]

hi Eric,

he's talking about an ear stone..

An ear stone (or calcareous concretion) in the inner ear of a bony fish. Each year, a new layer is added, which can be used to measure age.

 

[scallop007]

well i guess he was'nt yanking my chain,lol. i'm gonna take him to the plant when their cutting fish some day and get him to get me a few. i got a digital camera just to find out that i can not hook it up(no usb connector), the fun never stops,lol going to get them off and on here somehow.went yesterday got about 40 or 50 or so in about a half a plastic grocery bag(super store bag) man it was cold on the beach brrrrrrrr,lol takes 5 min to get them and 2 hrs to get the pearls out,
lots of purple one's. the same color as my finger's yesterday,hahaha
have a good one,,, pearler's,,,,, 007