SCRIPT
Texas Pearls
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Currently the Asian market has a firm grip on the cultured pearl industry, and for centuries most people in the U.S. have unsuccessfully tried to learn the secrets of making pearls. But Jennifer Regar tells us how some new research will help Texas become the next big fresh water pearl producer.
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Seventy percent of the pearls worldwide are sold in the United States. However almost all nuclei or the shell substance that is introduced into the mussels or oysters to initiate pearl formation is produced in the U.S., then shipped to the Asia countries to produce pearls that are sent back to the U.S. retail jewelry market. One person who thinks this could change is Dr. Leonard DiMichele, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station fisheries researcher, who is heading a research effort to develop a cultured pearl industry from mussels found in Texas waters.
SOUND BITE- Dr Leonard DiMichele, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station fisheries researcher
Lately most of those secrets have been documented, and it's now possible for almost anyone to culture pearls. Our goal is to begin a substantial pearl industry in the United States.
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The study will initially focus on southeastern and southwestern fresh water mussels which are known to produce high quality pearls in the natural state.
SOUND BITE- Dr. DiMichele
Texas alone has over 13 species that produce pearls and there are many more throughout the southern U.S. So the techniques we are going to develop here will be applicable across the U.S.
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John Pillars, owner of J&F Supply in Pioneer, Lousianna, agrees the mussel is a good choice. His company markets the nuclei overseas and would like to cater to a U.S. market and even his own pearl farm. He likes the mussel because the animal doesn't have to be killed to
produce a pearl, they are simply put to sleep and implanted. He also hopes the research will lead to more protection of these shellfish since they are the most rapidly declining group of animals in North America.
SOUND BITE- John Pillars, owner, J&F Supply
There never has been a commercial value to these animals that would bring enough interest to them and we're hoping that this pearl industry will be an interest to them that will help save them.
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He also admits that nothing about farming pearls will be quick and easy. Pillars says some things are just worth waiting for.
SOUND BITE- John Pillars
Anyone that is interested in farming these, it's going to be a long term venture. There is nothing short about it. The average growth time is 2 to 3 years. So he's going to have to maintain and take care of these animals before he ever sees the first harvest. But if done properly he can have a harvest each year thereafter.
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DiMichele hopes his research will show how a pearl sac grows, how to increase the yield of gem quality pearls and how to speed up development. The project's goal is to have a viable pearl industry within 5 years. Reporting from College Station, Texas. I'm Jennifer Regar
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If DiMichele's research proves feasible, pearl harvesting will begin at Lake Anahuac east of Houston. Water officials and college researchers hope the winding canal system that has supplied water to a string of fledgling rice farms in Chambers County will be able to produce a new crop: cultured fresh water pearls.
