Seeing How Trochus Grows
p. 96 · Read in the full issue
THE tagging of trochus is part of a project now being carried out by the .French Institute of Oceania, Noumea, on the barrier reef of New Caledonia.
A picture of live trochus shellfish being tagged for identification, and a description of the work, appears in the January issue of the SPC Bulletin.
In a drilled cavity in the lip of the shell a small copper rivet is inserted. This is soon covered by a mother-of-pearl layer but re mains easily discernible as the trochus carries on with its shell building, and growth over a given period can thus be established with fair accuracy.
The research programme is de signed to cover the distribution, growth, and reproductive activities of the trochus, and environmental influences, and is expected to extend over three years. 11 Mr. W. J. Drysdale, Fiji Com missioner of inland Revenue, has re turned to Suva after overseas leave.