How We Count Thousands of Baby Paua: Without Stressing a Single One

 

A Hatchery Mystery

One of the common questions we hear on our pearl farm tours starts with a fascinated gaze into one of our tanks and ends with:

“But how do you count them all?”

Imagine walking into our paua pearl hatchery for the first time. Dozens of tanks line the room, each crowded with tiny paua, no bigger than your fingernail, gripping the walls and nibbling quietly. There are thousands of them. It’s mesmerising. It’s peaceful. And it raises a surprisingly tricky question.

At Arapawa Blue Pearls, counting paua isn’t just about numbers; it’s about sustainable aquaculture, animal welfare, and a deep respect for New Zealand’s marine life. Every step we take reflects our values: care, conservation, and compassion.

And every step brings us closer to producing some of the most unique blue pearls NZ has to offer.

So, how do we keep track of our baby paua without causing them stress or harm? Today, we’re lifting the lid on a rarely-seen part of the process.

More Than Just a Headcount

At first glance, counting paua might seem like simple record-keeping. But in truth, this step is critical to operating a sustainable NZ pearls hatchery and farm.

Reseeding the ocean

Our mission isn’t just to create beautiful paua pearls; it’s also to contribute to the health and diversity of our local marine environment. Every year, some of our hatchery-raised paua are released back into the wild to support natural populations.

To reseed responsibly, we need accurate population estimates to measure growth rates, survival, and the success of past releases.

Sustainable Pearl Farming

Pearl quality depends on paua health. Overcrowding, underfeeding, or poor water conditions can lead to stress, stunted growth, or illness. Knowing how many animals we have in each tank allows us to:

• Maintain optimal stocking densities
• Feed appropriately
• Track growth trends over time

Accurate counts also inform our long-term planning, how many blue pearls NZ can expect in future seasons, what space we’ll need, and how many paua we can commit to reseeding.

Animal Well-Being

Paua are sensitive creatures. They rely on strong foot muscles to cling to surfaces and feel secure. Handling them too often or too roughly can lead to stress or injury. That’s why traditional methods, like counting each one, are not an option for us.

Instead, we’ve adopted a method that’s gentle and accurate, a perfect example of ethical aquaculture practices, aligned with the care that makes our NZ pearls so special.

The Paua Counting Process

Let’s walk through the process we use to estimate our paua populations. It’s a blend of marine science and farm-grown wisdom, designed with both accuracy and animal welfare in mind.

Step 1: A Gentle Goodbye

Before counting, we must safely remove the paua from the tank walls. Anyone who’s touched a paua knows they have an incredible grip, and pulling them off manually would not only be difficult, but it would also be harmful.

Instead, we turn to a trusted natural helper: Epsom salts. A diluted solution of this mineral compound in the tank water helps the paua relax their muscles and release their grip on the tank.

Why Epsom salts? They act as a gentle sedative for paua, causing no long-term harm.

How do we use them? We add a small amount to the tank and give the paua time to let go at their own pace.

What happens next? Once detached, we can carefully lift them out and begin the sampling process.

This step reflects our deep respect for the animals. We treat each paua as a living being, not a commodity, a philosophy that nurtures every blue pearls NZ.

Step 2: Sampling to Set the Standard

Next, we take a sample group of 100 paua. This group represents the broader tank population and helps us set a baseline.

We measure these paua, place them gently into a container, and weigh them together on a sensitive marine scale. The total weight gives us the average weight per paua.

For example, if 100 paua weigh 500 grams, we know the average paua weighs about 5 grams.

This average becomes our standard for calculating the rest of the tank population.

Step 3: Estimating the Total

Now, we move on to the rest of the paua. Instead of handling each one, we weigh them in larger batches.

Using our sample average, we can do the math:

If a batch weighs 2,000 grams (2 kg) and the average paua weighs 5 grams, then the estimated number of paua in that batch is 400.

This technique allows us to:

• Avoid unnecessary handling
• Work quickly and efficiently.
• Protect animal well-being while staying accurate.

It’s a method refined over time and trusted by our team. Best of all, it’s based on care, not shortcuts, the same care that produces blue pearls NZ collectors and nature lovers cherish.

Why This Reflects Our Values

This counting method isn’t just practical, it reflects our philosophy.

We believe in handling marine life with the utmost respect. Every touch matters. That’s why we’ve chosen a method that reduces physical contact and prioritises the comfort of the paua.

Our goal is to create beautiful, natural NZ pearls without compromising the health of the ocean or the creatures that live in it. Accurate population management supports everything from water quality to genetic diversity.

We see ourselves as stewards of the sea, not just farmers. Every step, like using natural sedatives and avoiding invasive practices, supports the ethical aquaculture practices behind our blue pearls NZ and sought-after paua pearls.

See It for Yourself: Book a Pearl Farm Tour

Reading about it is one thing, but seeing it in action is entirely different.

When you join us for our pearl farm tours on Arapawa Island, you’ll:

• Visit our hatchery and see the baby paua up close.
• Learn how we raise them from tiny larvae to pearl-ready adults.
• Discover the stories behind our rare blue pearls NZ.
• Get a hands-on look at sustainable aquaculture in New Zealand.

Many guests tell us it’s the highlight of their Marlborough Sounds visit.

[Click here to book your tour now]

Meet the baby paua, and maybe even guess how many are in the tank!

Be Part of Our Journey

At Arapawa Blue Pearls, counting baby paua is more than just a routine; it reflects our deep responsibility toward the ocean, its creatures, and future generations. Every step, from hatchery care to sustainable reseeding, is rooted in respect and purpose.

But we can’t do it alone.

When you visit, share our story, or choose our blue pearls NZ, you become part of something bigger, a community committed to preserving New Zealand’s marine heritage through ethical aquaculture. Your support helps us continue raising healthy paua, restoring ocean ecosystems, and proving that beauty and sustainability can thrive together.

Join us. Be part of a movement that values care over convenience, nature over shortcuts, and purpose over profit.

The journey of every pearl begins with a baby paua. And now, it continues with you.

FAQ

• Why not count each paua individually?

Because it would be too invasive and time-consuming, more importantly, manually handling each paua would cause them stress. Our weight-based method protects their well-being and keeps our NZ pearls healthy and strong.

• Do Epsom salts harm the paua?

Not at all. Used in small amounts, Epsom salts are a safe and widely accepted method for calming marine animals during handling.

• How often do you count them?

We count at key stages to monitor growth, ensure healthy densities, and prepare for reseeding or pearl seeding, which is essential for both our paua pearls and our commitment to sustainability.

So next time someone asks, “How do you count them all?” you’ll know the answer isn’t just math.

It’s heart and how we nurture the finest paua pearls and blue pearls NZ cherishes.