"Abu Dhabi Pearl" revives the legacy of ancestors
Cultivation of oysters is carried out through a number of stages, starting with the “larvae collecting”.
Photography: Eric Arrasas
Aisha Al Hammadi: “The Abu Dhabi Pearl Project, through which approximately 80,000 oysters are produced annually.”
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Diving to extract pearls represents an important part of the history of the region and the society of the Emirates, as the pearl trade provided the residents of the Emirates with job opportunities and a source of livelihood, despite the hardships and risks associated with this profession. The country's cultural heritage, and in recognition of this position, the UAE capital launched the "Abu Dhabi Pearl" project, which aims to produce pearls in sustainable ways.
Aisha Al Hammadi, from the pavilion of the Environment Agency in Abu Dhabi, at the Maritime Heritage Festival, organized by the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism, in the “A’ Al Bahr” area on Abu Dhabi Corniche, told Emirates Today that the Abu Dhabi Pearl project was established in 2007 to revive heritage. In a sustainable way, it is located in Al Mirfa city in Al Dhafra region, and through it approximately 80,000 oysters are produced annually.
She pointed out that oyster culture is carried out through a number of stages, the first is called larvae collecting, during which ropes are placed in the waters of the Marawah Reserve, so that young oysters stick to them, and the larvae collectors are left for a year and a half, after which the oyster becomes ready for the pollination process, in which the nucleus is inserted into it. And a membrane was also placed from another oyster to stimulate the secretion of nickers on this nucleus, to produce a pearl, after which the oysters are returned to the sea in nets placed in the culture area, and after a year and a half they are ready for harvest, where the oysters are split and pearls are extracted and classified according to quality standards , depending on the color, degree of glossiness and shape.
Al Hammadi stated that the "Abu Dhabi Pearl" project includes several tracks, the first is related to eco-tourism, the second is related to awareness and education, the third is related to research, and the fourth track focuses on marketing.
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