Only oysters of the Ostreidae family can make pearls, but many other types of mollusks can produce these gems, such as abalone and paua (New Zealand abalone), conchs, freshwater mussels ...

The Ama divers of Japan, primarily in Toba and Shima, preserve an ancient tradition of free diving for shellfish and pearls, ...

Black abalone were once the most abundant large shellfish clinging to the rocks of intertidal zones between Baja and Oregon. A savored delicacy for sea otters and native coastal people alike, these ...

Highly valued for its edible muscular foot and mother-of-pearl shell, the pinto abalone has declined significantly in recent decades and faces extinction unless it'ss protected — and soon — under the ...