What is Sea Opal? Sea opal is not opal at all. It is Paua Shell that has the look of opal, iridescent with brilliant firey colors. When the Paua shell is polished it exhibists stunning blues, teals, greens, pinks, purples and pearl textures. The unique colorings of the Paua shell are produced by the rich sediments (of a volcanic origin) within pollution free local New Zealand waters.
The scientific name for the Paua Shell is Haliotis iris. Haliotis iris is a shallow water species. It is abundant in up to 15 feet of water. In suitable areas this can be extended to 90 feet, usually on rocky reefs etc.
Juvenile recruitment is usually from low tide mark to several meters of water in depth. Juvenile Paua live and feed under rocks and boulders for three to five years. After this they move from their protected habitats to more open rock surfaces and may migrate to deeper water. As adults they eat a variety of seaweed, feeding predominantly on drift algae in most cases. Reproduction can occur though out the cooler months, but spawning peaks in late summer, early autumn and sometimes spring. Successful spawning may not be regular and sometimes entire populations fail to spawn in some years. Paua are believed to reach an age of 60 years.
By law, Paua are harvested exclusively by free diving (snorkeling). A trowel or hook device is used to dislodge the animal from the ocean floor or from rocks into hand held nets. These are then usually deposited into a floating tube or small tender that services the diver. The Paua are then checked for size and undersized animals are returned to the sea.
With about 95 to 100 Abalone species world wide, New Zealand has one of the most colourful of all abalone shells. These shells have been sought after worldwide for the manufacture of Jewellery, Crafts, Inlay, Decorative Items and Buttons.
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