Grant Spat Selection

... Here we have our Selection Team in action. Collectors holding thousands of baby pearl oysters (Spat) are brought into a Selection room, Where they are carefully cut from collectors. Local crews (our famous "Selection Girls") choose the best quality spat, and insert them into mesh pockets which are large enough for the oysters to grew for the next few months. Running seawater in shallow tanks keeps the spat in good condition while they are being transferred. Once inserted, they are returned to the longline and carefully cleaned and cared for until they are large enought to change to juvenile net pockets. ...

This is one of the methods we use to grow out our oysters until they are ready for seeding. Spat which are not taken off these collectors remain in the sea and are later transferred directly to larger net pockets.