Natural freshwater pearls occur in mussels for the same reason that saltwater pearls occur in oysters. Foreign material, usually a sharp object or parasite, enters a mussel and cannot be expelled.

Before the development of plastic, buttons were made from mussel shells. Freshwater pearls are still cultured by inserting small pieces of native mussel shell into oysters. Mussels are fascinating ...

The Pinctada maxima oyster can take up to five years to produce a single South Sea pearl, whereas more common freshwater oysters can take as little as three months and create dozens of pearls.

Walsh said freshwater oysters can have different flavor nuances by geographical region and water conditions almost like wines vary by type of grape and environmental influences. He says locally ...

The collapse of Florida’s oyster reefs serves as a stark reminder of the interconnected challenges we face: freshwater mismanagement, habitat destruction and economic development at odds with ...

Oyster populations in the Chesapeake Bay are faring well, according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ annual Fall Oyster Survey.

Ending discharges could help prevent any more harm to fish and oysters, which typically start ... blasted with 54.9 billion gallons of polluted freshwater, intermittently from Feb. 17 to April ...

Nearly 75 billion gallons of water has flowed into the St. Lucie River through the St. Lucie Lock & Dam since Lake Okeechobee ...

Fishery managers conducted a spring survey to evaluate the effect of the elevated freshwater input on the oysters and oyster diseases. Salinities had dropped dramatically, by as much as half in ...