Oyster farming

Long before the discovery of oil transformed the Gulf, the region's pearl divers were a mainstay of the economy. Their way of life, however, also was changed forever after Japanese researchers learned how to grow cultured pearls in 1930s. Now a collaboration between pearl traders in Japan and the United Arab Emirates had brought oyster farming to the UAE for the first time.

Section:Gallery

Tue., June 12, 2012

In this Wednesday, April 4, 2012 photo, a pearl diver pulls up a basket full of oyster shells from the bottom of the sea, in Ras al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. After cleaning, these oyster shells will be taken to the laboratory. Long before the discovery of oil transformed the Gulf, the region's pearl divers were a mainstay of the economy. Their way of life, however, also was changed forever after Japanese researchers learned how to grow cultured pearls in 1930s. Now a collaboration between pearl traders in Japan and the United Arab Emirates had brought oyster farming to the UAE for the first time.

Kamran Jebreili Associated Press
In this Wednesday, April 4, 2012 photo, a bird sits on a floating shells net for pearl oysters in Ras al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. Long before the discovery of oil transformed the Gulf, the region's pearl divers were a mainstay of the economy. Their way of life, however, also was changed forever after Japanese researchers learned how to grow cultured pearls in 1930s. Now a collaboration between pearl traders in Japan and the United Arab Emirates had brought oyster farming to the UAE for the first time.

Kamran Jebreili Associated Press
In this Wednesday, May 16, 2012 photo, with underwater and a blue color effect, a dummy of a traditional pearl diver is seen on display at the Dubai museum, United Arab Emirates. Long before the discovery of oil transformed the Gulf, the region's pearl divers were a mainstay of the economy. Their way of life, however, also was changed forever after Japanese researchers learned how to grow cultured pearls in 1930s. Now a collaboration between pearl traders in Japan and the United Arab Emirates had brought oyster farming to the UAE for the first time.

Kamran Jebreili Associated Press
In this Wednesday, April 4, 2012 photo, a worker pulls up a net of oyster shells, that have been growing pearls in the water for almost a year, from a sea farm in Ras al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. Long before the discovery of oil transformed the Gulf, the region's pearl divers were a mainstay of the economy. Their way of life, however, also was changed forever after Japanese researchers learned how to grow cultured pearls in 1930s. Now a collaboration between pearl traders in Japan and the United Arab Emirates had brought oyster farming to the UAE for the first time.

Kamran Jebreili Associated Press
In this Wednesday, April 4, 2012 photo, a worker holds a net of oyster shells that are growing cultured pearls at a sea farm in Ras al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. The oysters stay in the sea for up to one year. Long before the discovery of oil transformed the Gulf, the region's pearl divers were a mainstay of the economy. Their way of life, however, also was changed forever after Japanese researchers learned how to grow cultured pearls in 1930s. Now a collaboration between pearl traders in Japan and the United Arab Emirates had brought oyster farming to the UAE for the first time.

Kamran Jebreili Associated Press
In this Wednesday, April 4, 2012 photo, workers clean oyster shells before they take them to a laboratory for implanting in Ras al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. The oysters will then be implanted with a bead, which will coax the oysters to secrete nacre, which builds up in layers to form a cultured pearl. Long before the discovery of oil transformed the Gulf, the region's pearl divers were a mainstay of the economy. Their way of life, however, also was changed forever after Japanese researchers learned how to grow cultured pearls in 1930s. Now a collaboration between pearl traders in Japan and the United Arab Emirates had brought oyster farming to the UAE for the first time.

Kamran Jebreili Associated Press
In this Wednesday, April 4, 2012 photo, Lotfi Hassaid, general manager of RAK Pearls Holding, inserts mantle tissue, which will encourage the growth of a cultured pearl, into an oyster at the company's laboratory in Ras al-Khaimah. Long before the discovery of oil transformed the Gulf, the region's pearl divers were a mainstay of the economy. Their way of life, however, also was changed forever after Japanese researchers learned how to grow cultured pearls in 1930s. Now a collaboration between pearl traders in Japan and the United Arab Emirates had brought oyster farming to the UAE for the first time.

Kamran Jebreili Associated Press
In this Wednesday, April 4, 2012 photo, Lotfi Hassaid, general manager of RAK Pearls Holding, inserts mantle tissue, which will encourage the growth of a cultured pearl, into an oyster at the company's laboratory in Ras al-Khaimah. Long before the discovery of oil transformed the Gulf, the region's pearl divers were a mainstay of the economy. Their way of life, however, also was changed forever after Japanese researchers learned how to grow cultured pearls in 1930s. Now a collaboration between pearl traders in Japan and the United Arab Emirates had brought oyster farming to the UAE for the first time.

Kamran Jebreili Associated Press
In this Wednesday, April 4, 2012 photo, a technician of Pearl Farm inserts a bead, made from mother of pearl oyster shells, inside a live oyster at the company's laboratory in Ras al-Khaimah. Implanting the bead will encourage the oyster to secrete nacre, which builds up in layers to form a cultured pearl. Long before the discovery of oil transformed the Gulf, the region's pearl divers were a mainstay of the economy. Their way of life, however, also was changed forever after Japanese researchers learned how to grow cultured pearls in 1930s. Now a collaboration between pearl traders in Japan and the United Arab Emirates had brought oyster farming to the UAE for the first time.

Kamran Jebreili Associated Press
In this Wednesday, April 4, 2012 photo, an employee of RAK Pearls Holding rubs a cultured pearl with salt to add polish in Ras al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. Long before the discovery of oil transformed the Gulf, the region's pearl divers were a mainstay of the economy. Their way of life, however, also was changed forever after Japanese researchers learned how to grow cultured pearls in 1930s. Now a collaboration between pearl traders in Japan and the United Arab Emirates had brought oyster farming to the UAE for the first time.

Kamran Jebreili Associated Press
In this Wednesday, April 4, 2012 photo, an employee of RAK Pearls Holding presents a cultured pearl inside an oyster shell after they have collected it from the sea farm in Ras al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. Long before the discovery of oil transformed the Gulf, the region's pearl divers were a mainstay of the economy. Their way of life, however, also was changed forever after Japanese researchers learned how to grow cultured pearls in 1930s. Now a collaboration between pearl traders in Japan and the United Arab Emirates had brought oyster farming to the UAE for the first time.

Kamran Jebreili Associated Press
In this Wednesday, April 4, 2012 photo, Daiji Imura, Japanese pearl specialist and director of the board of RAK Pearls Holding, climbs down the staircase of a restaurant decorated with oyster shells in Ras al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. Long before the discovery of oil transformed the Gulf, the region's pearl divers were a mainstay of the economy. Their way of life, however, also was changed forever after Japanese researchers learned how to grow cultured pearls in 1930s. Now a collaboration between pearl traders in Japan and the United Arab Emirates had brought oyster farming to the UAE for the first time.

Kamran Jebreili Associated Press
In this Wednesday, April 4, 2012 photo, pearls are displayed at the Pearl Museum in Ras al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. Long before the discovery of oil transformed the Gulf, the region's pearl divers were a mainstay of the economy. Their way of life, however, also was changed forever after Japanese researchers learned how to grow cultured pearls in 1930s. Now a collaboration between pearl traders in Japan and the United Arab Emirates had brought oyster farming to the UAE for the first time.

Kamran Jebreili Associated Press