The latest information on pearl farming in Tahiti

The first farms established in the region relied on collecting adult and juvenile oysters from the reefs. This approach quickly failed due to the lack of adequate natural resources.

The First Hatcheries and Their Challenges

A private hatchery operated in Majuro (Marshall Islands) from 1998 to 2001, temporarily supplying two commercial pearl farms. However, technical problems — both in the hatchery and in the nursery — soon compromised its success.

Following this setback, the governments of the Federated States of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands established three hatcheries of various sizes and objectives, some with a research focus. These hatcheries are located at the College of Micronesia – Land Grant Program (Ponape), the College of the Marshall Islands (Majuro), and Kailua-Kona, where a commercial and experimental facility still operates today. Another hatchery dedicated exclusively to research operates at the University of Hawaii-Hilo.

The problems encountered were not solely due to infrastructure or basic technique but also to the consistency and reliability of production.

The Collaborative Alliance: A Collective Response

To address these challenges, the Collaborative Alliance — a network of aquaculture professionals — launched a project entitled “Filling the Gaps to Ensure the Viability of Small-Scale Tropical Mariculture Enterprises in Hawaii and the U.S.-Affiliated Islands.” Its objective: to analyze hatchery techniques on a regional scale and identify the main obstacles limiting production success.

Project partners are simultaneously conducting research to design new methods to overcome existing problems.

A Technique Now Operational but Still Being Refined

The basic hatchery technique for Pinctada margaritifera is now well established and supports the development of pearl farming across the Pacific. However, some challenges remain: researchers are working to improve larval rearing and nursery grow-out methods in order to increase profitability and production reliability.

They are also studying the seasonality of black-lipped oyster spawning to make spawning induction more reliable.

Biological and Economic Challenges

Oyster metamorphosis remains a long and unpredictable process, while early mortalities continue to occur sporadically and are poorly understood. The grow-out period requires significant labor and suffers heavy losses, particularly due to predation by Cymatium snails.

Researchers are currently exploring solutions to improve both sea-based and land-based grow-out. At the same time, a bioeconomic study of Micronesian farms and hatcheries is evaluating the cost-effectiveness of each step, from hatchery to nursery. The first results of this research will be published soon.

This project was initiated in response to two major findings: the shortage of exportable products in the archipelago and the proven success of pearl farming in Eastern Polynesia. The initiative was funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR).

Creation of a Hatchery and Nursery

Initial studies conducted in the Gilbert Islands revealed the very low presence of Pinctada margaritifera, the black-lipped pearl oyster, compounded by poor natural spat recruitment. This finding led researchers to prioritize hatchery production as the only viable way to develop the pearl farming industry.

In 1995, a hatchery was established on the island of Tarawa, complemented by a nursery on nearby Abaiang. These facilities have expanded significantly over the years. Today, the hatchery regularly produces large quantities of spat: during the first half of 2003, two production cycles yielded a total of 6.1 million spat.

Larval survival rates are particularly high, typically reaching between 30 and 50% during rearing. The nursery and grow-out facilities can now accommodate nearly 80,000 oysters — juveniles and adults — which also serve as a demonstration farm for staff training.

First Harvests and Project Expansion

The first experimental grafting was carried out in Abaiang in 2001, with the first pearl harvest in 2003. A second grafting, involving 10,000 oysters, was undertaken in August 2003.

Since then, project activities have been expanded to new sites within the Abaiang lagoon and other islands in the Gilberts.

A Structured Development Plan

The growth of pearl farming in Kiribati will be strengthened by the development of a comprehensive plan and the establishment of a Pearl Oyster Coordinating Committee. This plan will serve as a framework for the industry, involving the local population and integrating both technical and policy aspects of its evolution.

The Committee, bringing together relevant ministries and various institutions, will advise the government on measures to support and structure this emerging sector.