There has been recent revitalization of the West Australian pearl culture industry to a stage where annual production is now worth about $40 million. Mortalities of pearl shell transported to the culture farms and concerns regarding the state of pearl oyster stocks stimulated a series of research projects which have been funded largely from the Fishing Industry Research Trust Account.

This year, funds were sought for two projects, in hatchery and nursery culture and on developing on-growing techniques and disease prevention husbandry.