This project is supported by a volunteer from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), who proposed developing the farming of black-lipped oysters on the archipelago.

Osamu Taniguchi, the JICA volunteer, announced that by December, the reproductive organs of the black-lipped oysters collected six months earlier would reach maturity. According to him, the juveniles from these oysters are already in their early growth stages.

From the 70 to 80 oysters collected, thousands of juveniles can be produced. The breeding season, he noted, began in August and will end in December — a crucial period to obtain mature cells necessary for black pearl production.

Arriving in Palau last April for a two-year mission, Mr. Taniguchi brings extensive experience: he lived in the Philippines for 20 years, including 12 years dedicated to farming black-lipped pearl oysters.

Since his arrival, he has explored several areas to locate black-lipped oyster populations, which are still poorly documented in the country. He estimates it will take about two years for the juveniles to reach adulthood and another two years to obtain the first black pearls.

To achieve significant production, Palau will need to secure thousands of oysters, the Japanese specialist emphasized.