Today, molluscan research is taking place in the areas of: parasitology biochemistry, mathematics, archaeology, paleobiography, palaeontology, taxonomy, ecology and zoology.  Also, many of the categories of use discussed above have significant economic impact, mostly in many small businesses, so the total economic activity involved in man's varied uses of molluscs is quite major!!! 

Some other industries also making use of molluscs are:

• Aquaculture (farming of abalone, oysters, scallops, mussels, etc.)

• Horiciculture (farming escargot) - Big Business in Europe and getting bigger worldwide today!

• Import & export companies as well as all the Companies and private shell fishermen: shellfish as food

Jewelry designers and manufacturers:Pearls, cameos, actual shells, electroplated shells. etc.

• Sea shell and shell artifact importers, exporters and distributors: shell collectors, tourist shells, shell crafts

Pearl button industry: although not as important as it was in the early 1900s, it still remains as an industry in many countries today.

• Construction industry: Shells along with gravel are used for building roads in some areas, and lime from shells is a vital component in the production of concrete and plaster.

• Fertilizer manufacturing (lime is an important nutrient for plants and therefore has been used as a vital component of plant fertilizer)

• Manufacturing caulking and glue (Some cultures still use a ground up shell mixture as glue and as a caulking compound for such things as boats).

Pearl industry - both salt and fresh water pearls. (Note: Worldwide, pearls are a $20 Billion dollar (in USA dollars) industry! Pearls are used all over the world as an International Currency.

• Paint production -Native Americans in the Pacific Northwest ground shells into a powder, mixed it with salmon eggs and then used it as the white paint on totem poles