Daniel Dev, with a Master’s Degree in fishery biology from the University of Madras, India, has gained more than 28 years of experience in the commercial pearl oyster farming systems. With his background experience in pearl oyster culture and pearl production with different pearl oyster species such as Pinctada fucata, P. margaritifera and P. radiata, involved in initiation of project proposals, establishment and execution of projects in India and in the Middle East. He has evolved site specific and cost effective commercial pearl farming systems and oyster holding systems. Mr. Dev has considerable experience in designing suitable spat collectors for the collection of pearl oyster spats from the wild.

In addition to spat collection from the wild, he is experienced in pearl oyster hatchery design and breeding of pearl oysters and has developed P. fucata hatchery under Tamil Nadu Fisheries Development Corporation in India. Apart from commercial pearl oyster farming, participated in sea ranching and transplanting of juvenile oysters to replenish oyster stock in Dungonab Bay, Sudan, in Red Sea coast. With his vast experience in the field, provided technical guidance to entrepreneurs and imparted training to technicians in implantation/pearl seeding in India and other countries that has led to 90% seeding success. Technical expertise includes enhancement of cultured pearl production in quantity and quality.