In Mercenaria aquaculture, a rare genetic and color variant was selected for aquaculture in order to discourage theft.  If the shells in your aquaculture pen look just like the ones in the bay, then it is rather difficult to prove where a sample came from.  If, on the other hand, your shells are all brightly colored, the thief will have a hard time explaining how he got only brightly colored ones out of the normal population.

Bright color may also be used as a marker to go along with genetic improvement.  If you get a color gene closely linked to the gene for being big and yummy, you can easily pick out the good ones from your breeding stock.  If you have to eat the scallop to find out if it is good, it is difficult to then use it for further breeding.

    Dr. David Campbell
    "Old Seashells"
    Biology Department
    Saint Mary's College of Maryland
    18952 E. Fisher Road
    St. Mary's City, MD  20686-3001 USA
    [log in to unmask], 301 862-0372 Fax: 301 862-0996
"Mollusks murmured 'Morning!'.  And salmon chanted 'Evening!'."-Frank Muir, Oh My Word!