Juergen Freund / Cultured Golden South Sea pearls of the Pearl oyster (Pinctada maxima) Jewelmer pearls, Philippines

Juergen Freund / Jewelmer Pearlfarm, Golden south sea pearl oysters (Pinctada maxima) are prepared with plastic wedges to have nuclei inserted for the creation of cultured pearls, Palawan, Philippines, May 2009

Juergen Freund / Goldlip pearl oyster (Pinctada maxima) opened, with cultured Golden South Sea pearl on beach, Jewelmer Pearlfarm, Palawan, Philippines, May 2009

Juergen Freund / Baby Pearl oysters (Pinctada maxima) at Jewelmer Pearlfarm, two months spats (2 mm in size) and three months (10mm in size) Palawan, Philippines, May 2009

Juergen Freund / Details of Thorny oyster (Spondylus varius) with "eyes" in its mantle edge near the shell, New Ireland, Papua New Guinea

Juergen Freund / Jewelmer Pearlfarm workers clean each pearl oyster regularly taking off barnacles and anything that grows on the shell, Philippines, April 2010

Juergen Freund / Jewelmer Pearlfarm, Pearl oyster (Pinctada maxima) in hanging cage, Palawan, Philippines, May 2009

Juergen Freund / Jewelmer Pearlfarm, newly cleaned Pearl oysters (Pinctada maxima) hanging in nets from rafts waiting to be relocated to open sea, Palawan, Philippines, May 2009

Juergen Freund / Jewelmer Pearlfarm, cleaned Pearl oysters (Pinctada maxima) in hanging cage in the open sea, Palawan, Philippines, May 2009

Juergen Freund / Jewelmer Pearlfarm, cleaned Pearl oysters (Pinctada maxima) in hanging cages, being relocated to the open sea, Palawan, Philippines, May 2009

Juergen Freund / Jewelmer Pearlfarm, cleaned Pearl oysters (Pinctada maxima) in hanging nets, being relocated to the open sea, Palawan, Philippines, May 2009

Juergen Freund / Almost perfect cultured pearl extracted from Golden South Sea Pearl oyster (Pinctada maxima) oyster will then be reused, Palawan, Philippines, May 2009

Juergen Freund / Jewelmer Pearlfarm, expert technician extracts nearly perfect culutred pearl from golden South Sea Pearl oyster (Pinctada maxima) oyster will then be reused, Palawan, Philippines, May 2009

Juergen Freund / Pearl held in hand at Jewelmer Pearlfarm - golden South Sea Pearl from pearl oyster (Pinctada maxima) Palawan, Philippines, May 2009

Juergen Freund / Jewelmer Pearlfarm, Goldlip pearl oyster (Pinctada maxima) with golden pearl on beach, Palawan, Philippines, May 2009

Juergen Freund / Jewelmer Pearlfarm, Golden South Sea Pearl oysters (Pinctada maxima) laid out on trays waiting to have nucleus inserted to initiate cultured pearl growth, Palawan, Philippines, May 2009

Juergen Freund / Jewelmer Pearlfarm, newly cleaned Pearl oysters (Pinctada maxima) hanging in nets from rafts waiting to be relocated to open sea, Palawan, Philippines, May 2009

Billy Black / Starfish in half Oyster (Lophia folium) shell lying on bed of seaweed. Pumpkin Island, Maine, USA.

Juergen Freund / Oyster encrusted mangrove roots, split level.(Rhizophoraceae) Florida Everglades, USA

Philippe Clement / Colourful cabins of oyster farmers in the harbour at Le Chateau-d'Oleron on the island Ile d'Oleron, Charente-Maritime, France, September 2012

Philippe Clement / Oyster farming boats in the harbour at Le Chateau d'Oleron on the island Ile d'Oleron, Charente-Maritime, France, September 2012

Philippe Clement / Colourful cabin at oyster farm at La Baudissiere near Dolus, on the island Ile d'Oleron, Charente-Maritime, France, September 2012

Christian Ziegler / Diverse sponge community with oysters and other invertebrates growing on red mangrove roots, Bastimentos National Marine Park, Bocas del Toro, Panama

Philippe Clement / Oyster pits at Yerseke along the Oosterschelde / Eastern Scheldt, known for its aquaculture in Zealand, the Netherlands, May 2012

Barry Mansell / Red electric flame scallop / Rough fileclam (Lima scabra) Indo Pacific

Philippe Clement / Japanese / Portuguese / Pacific cupped oyster (Crassostrea gigas) shell on beach, Normandy, France

Kirkendall-Spring / Man collecting oysters in Wescott Bay of San Juan Island, Washington, USA, May 2009

Georgette Douwma / Variable Thorny Oyster (Spondylus varians / varius). Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Philippe Clement / Bags of cultivated oysters (Lophia folium) at oyster farm / oyster park exposed on beach at low tide. Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue, Normandy, France, October 2010.

Philippe Clement / Oyster (Ostreidae), barnacles and limpets growing on rock exposed on beach at low tide. Brittany, France, September.

Philippe Clement / Bags of cultivated oysters (Lophia folium) at oyster farm / oyster park exposed on beach at low tide. Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue, Normandy, France, October 2010.

Philippe Clement / Tractor on beach returning with cartload full of cultivated oysters (Lophia folium) from oyster bank / oyster park. Gouville-sur-Mer, Normandy, France, October 2010.

Philippe Clement / Tractor on beach returning with cartload full of cultivated oysters (Lophia folium) from oyster bank / oyster park. Gouville-sur-Mer, Normandy, France, October 2010.

Juergen Freund / Pile of Malampaya Sound capiz shells, the outer shell of the Windowpane oyster (Placuna placenta) found in the shallow coastal waters of the Philippines. The shells are flat and semi-transparent with...

Juergen Freund / Details of shell, eyes and mantle of Variable thorny oyster (Spondylus varians / varius) Batangas, Philippines

Juergen Freund / Thorny oyster (Spondylus sp) camouflaged on coral reef, Komodo NP, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / Baby Pearl oysters (Pinctada maxima) at Jewelmer Pearlfarm, three months spats, 10mm in size, Palawan, Philippines, May 2009

Juergen Freund / Algae grown in laboratory as food for young Oysters at the Jewelmer Pearlfarm, Palawan, Philippines, May 2009

Juergen Freund / Baby Pearl oysters (Pinctada maxima) at Jewelmer Pearlfarm, two months spats, 2 mm in size, Palawan, Philippines, May 2009

Juergen Freund / Newly harvested cultured Golden South Sea pearls of Oyster (Pinctada maxima) displayed by Jewelmer Pearlfarm owner, Jacques Brannelec, Palawan, Philippines, May 2009

Juergen Freund / Jewelmer Pearlfarm, floats holding oyster cages in open water, Palawan, Philippines, May 2009

Juergen Freund / Aerial view of Jewelmer Pearlfarm and live reef fish cage, Palawan, Philippines, May 2009

Juergen Freund / Aerial view of lines of Oyster cages at Pearl farm, Jewelmer Pearlfarm, Palawan, Philippines, May 2009

Juergen Freund / Aerial view of lines of Oyster cages at Pearl farm, Jewelmer Pearlfarm, Palawan, Philippines, May 2009

Juergen Freund / Thorny oyster (Spondylus sp) close up mantle and eyes, Bali, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / Lifting the Golden South Sea oyster cages to clean the oysters at Jewelmer Pearlfarm, Philippines, May 2009.

Juergen Freund / Honeycomb oyster (Hyotissa hyotis) on coral reef, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / Details of a thorny oyster (Spondylus varians / varius) with "eyes" in its mantle edge near the shell, New Ireland, Papua New Guinea

Juergen Freund / Variable thorny oyster (Spondylus varians / varius) and featherstar on coral reef, Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, January

Juergen Freund / Jewelmer Pearlfarm, newly cleaned Golden South Sea Pearl oysters (Pinctada maxima) in hanging cages, waiting to be relocated to the open sea, Palawan, Philippines, May 2009

Juergen Freund / Jewelmer Pearlfarm, divers check on cleaned Pearl oysters (Pinctada maxima) in hanging nets in the open sea, Palawan, Philippines, May 2009

Juergen Freund / Jacques Branellec, owner of Jewelmer, examines cultured golden South Sea pearls with a pearl worker, Manila, Philippines, April 2010

Juergen Freund / Jewelmer Pearlfarm, baby pearl oysters (spats) in bucket, Philippines, April 2010

Juergen Freund / Thorny oyster (Spondylus varians / varius) and featherstar on coral reef, Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, January

Colin Varndell / Ramsons / Wild Garlic / Bear Garlic (Allium ursinum) in Oysters Coppice. Wiltshire, UK, May.

Nick Upton / Oyster (Lophia folium) farm with shellfish growing on strings, mouth of Rhone delta near Port Napoleon, France, May.

Tim Laman / Coral reef detail with Soft corals, sponges, and a Zigzag oyster (Lophia folium) Raja Ampat Islands, West Papua, Indonesia, April 2007

Billy Black / Two starfish in half Oyster (Lophia folium) shell lying on bed of seaweed. Pumpkin Island, Maine, USA.

Kirkendall-Spring / Man collecting oysters in Wescott Bay of San Juan Island. Washinton, USA, May 2009, model released

Toby Roxburgh / Baskets of cultivated oysters (Lophia folium) in a holding tank awaiting processing and sale, Ile de Re, France, 2007.

Sue Flood / Worker at pearl farm removing cultured black pearl from Oyster (Lophia folium) shell, Rangiroa atoll, French Polynesia.

Sue Flood / Removing cultured black pearl from Oyster (Lophia folium) shell, Rangiroa atoll, French Polynesia.

Juan Carlos Munoz / Fossils of oyster shells in the rock at Cabo Roche, Costa de la Luz, near Conil de la Frontera, Cadiz, Andalucia, Spain

Jeff Rotman / Winged oyster (Pteria aegyptiaca) growing on Gorgonia coral, Red Sea

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Close up of mantle of Variable thorny oyster (Spondylus varians / varius) Solomon Islands

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Cock's comb oyster (Lopha cristagalli) covered with encrusting sponge. Solomon Islands.

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Mantle of Variable thorny oyster (Spondylus varians) covered with a red sponge. Solomon Islands.

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Cock's comb oyster (Lopha cristagalli) covered with encrusting sponge. Solomon Islands.

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Cock's comb oyster (Lopha cristagalli) covered with encrusting sponge. Solomon Islands.

Steven David Miller / Australian South Seas Pearls from the White lip oyster (Pinctada maxima) Willie Creek Pearl Farm, Broome, Western Australia

Steven David Miller / Australian South Seas Pearls from the White lip oyster (Pinctada maxima) Willie Creek Pearl Farm, Broome, Western Australia

Steven David Miller / Oyster rack for the commercial cultivation of Australian South Seas Pearls from the White lip oyster (Pinctada maxima) Willie Creek Pearl Farm, Broome, Western Australia

Steven David Miller / Australian South Seas Pearls from the White lip oyster (Pinctada maxima) Willie Creek Pearl Farm, Broome, Western Australia

Philippe Clement / Common oyster (Ostrea edulis) shell on beach, Normandy, France

Philippe Clement / Japanese / Portuguese / Pacific cupped oyster (Crassostrea gigas) shell on beach, North Sea, Belgium

Philippe Clement / Japanese / Portuguese / Pacific cupped oyster (Crassostrea gigas) shell, Normandy, France

Philippe Clement / Collection of shells: Common Mussel (Mytilus edulis), Baltic tellin shell (Macoma balthica), Rayed trough shell (Mactra stultorum cinerea / Mactra corallina cinerea), Netted dog whelk (Nassarius retic...

Philippe Clement / Common oyster (Ostrea edulis) shell, Normandy, France

Philippe Clement / Common oyster (Ostrea edulis) and Japanese / Pacific Oyster (Crassostrea gigas) shells, Normandy, France

Philippe Clement / Japanese / Portuguese / Pacific cupped oyster (Crassostrea gigas) shell, North Sea, Belgium

Philippe Clement / Collection of shells: Rayed trough shell (Mactra stultorum cinerea / Mactra corallina cinerea), Common oyster (Ostrea edulis), Scallop shell (Pecten jacobeus), Smooth cockle / Norway cockle (Laevicard...

Philippe Clement / Japanese / Portuguese / Pacific cupped oyster (Crassostrea gigas) shell, Normandy, France

Juergen Freund / Oyster encrusted rocks by the sea, Camarines Sur, Luzon, Philippines 2008.

Benoit Stichelbaut / Packing oysters at La Foret-Fouesnant, Brittany, France. December 2004.

Matthew Maran / Oyster Farm in Clayoquot Sound, Vanouver Island, BC, Canada

Matthew Maran / Oyster Farm in Clayoquot Sound, Vanouver Island, BC, Canada

Dietmar Nill / Oysters laid out with lemon, Champagne, France

Solvin Zankl / Honeycomb oyster {Hyotissa hyotis} Sulawesi, Indonesia

Philippe Clement / Japanese Oyster / Pacific Oyster shell (Crassostrea gigas), North Sea, Belgium

Juergen Freund / Oyster encrusted mangrove roots, split level(Rhizophoraceae) Florida Everglades, USA

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Mantle of Thorny oyster {Spondulus aurantius} Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia

Doug Perrine / Rough fileclam / flame scallop {Lima scabra} Cayman Islands, Caribbean

Jean E. Roche / Oyster farm with Oysters {Lophia folium} exposed at low tide, Ie de Re, France

Doug Perrine / Rough file clam / Flame scallop {Lima scabra} Caribbean

Dan Burton / Common oyster catch {Ostrea edulis} Falmouth, Devon, UK.

Dan Burton / Fisherman measures Common oyster shell {Ostrea edulis} Falmouth, Devon, UK.