The latest information on pearl farming in Tahiti

In January, IFREMER had already highlighted the concerning impact of microplastic pollution on pearl oysters in the Tuamotu archipelago, emphasizing pearl farming's role in this environmental challenge.

A partnership agreement (No. 2233 VP/DRM) was signed between the government, the École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE), the Centre de Recherches Insulaires et Observatoire de l'Environnement (CRIOBE), and the Marine Resources Department for a project titled "Social Perceptions of Pollution and Pearl Farming Waste in the Tuamotu." This anthropological study seeks to examine the social crisis affecting pearl-producing atoll communities.

The agreement notes that pearl farming, due to its extensive plastic use, significantly contributes to lagoon pollution. Plastic waste—both macro-debris and microplastics—exerts environmental pressure on coral ecosystems and aquaculture populations.

The study will focus on analyzing plastic pollution through a social sciences lens, primarily anthropology, to better understand local perceptions of pollution and waste.

Findings will help propose solutions to reduce macro-waste pollution in coral lagoons and could lead to developing a best practices charter with the Marine Resources Department. This social approach is considered crucial for influencing pearl farmers' practices and mitigating lagoon pollution.

Finally, an ethnographic survey will be conducted across three Tuamotu atolls (Ahe, Takaroa, Takapoto) to compare socio-economic similarities and ecological differences between sites. An anthropology student will oversee the six-month fieldwork.

With commercial flights suspended, the industry has been paralyzed. The absence of Chinese grafting technicians, essential for oyster seeding, has severely slowed down production.

Sabine Lorillon, president of the Cultured Pearl Traders' Union, warns of the gravity of the situation. The sector is in limbo: sales and purchases are frozen as foreign clients remain stranded abroad. When trade resumes, there are fears of a drastic price drop, potentially driving pearl values far below the current 500-600 Fcfp per pearl.

While high-quality pearls retain their luster, professionals fear mounting pressure from buyers to slash prices, which could devalue accumulated farm inventories. Thomas Esen, head of Rikitea's Pearl Farming Management Committee, notes this crisis may accelerate the closure of many pearl farms that were already struggling pre-pandemic.

The lockdown of Chinese grafters has halted production progress. Only basic oyster maintenance tasks can currently be performed. With no pearl sales possible, some farmers have been forced to cut employee wages, worsening an already precarious economic situation.

Amid this uncertainty, industry professionals have zero visibility for the coming months. They also worry that territorial quarantine measures may deter foreign buyers. Sabine Lorillon concludes that while the sector won't disappear, recovery will be slow - and Tahitian pearls may lose their premium positioning in the global market.