Sustainability Corner with Douglas McLaurin-Moreno — Sea of Cortez pearls

Pearls in the Web of Life – Part 1 Pearls are not only a product of a living being—a mollusk—but their mother mollusk is also a host for dozens of other life forms! When we think about other animals that we use in our lives (as a food source or as a luxury good, such as furs), we can rarely imagine these creatures being a part of something larger or coexisting with other animals from different species. 

From the February 2021 issue of #thisispearl digital magazine Back in 1990 I began dreaming of a humane method for growing pearls. I had just begun my master’s degree in conservation management and sustainable development, and my goal was to grow pearl oysters without damaging the environment or disrupting local communities while offering a beautiful, feel-good product.  This was my focus because back in the 1980s and 1990s, the most successful aquaculture ventures were those revolving around shrimp farming. I had visited several and to my dismay, I saw how they were usually established in mangrove forest lagoons, destroying important ecosystems to build the...