Under the initiative of the Minister of Marine Resources, Temauri Foster, a strategic meeting was held with the new regional director of customs, Franck Testanière, to strengthen the fight against illegal pearl production and the importation of unauthorized nuclei.

Alongside the Directorate of Marine Resources, responsible for quality control at export, and the Maison de la Perle, responsible for promotion, Franck Testanière confirmed his commitment to intensify controls.
He plans to deploy new measures to better detect irregularities, sanction offenders, and thus support exporters who comply with regulations.
This initiative is designed to protect a sector that is vital to the economy of French Polynesia.

The customs director specified that control operations will no longer be limited to the international airport but will also extend across the entire territory.
This approach, supported by Minister Foster, aims to help drive prices back up and reassure markets about the quality and origin of Tahitian pearls.

During the meeting, concerns were also raised about the prohibited importation of giant clam nuclei and fraud involving the use of plastic nuclei for oyster grafting.
Swift measures will be implemented to put an end to these harmful practices.

With the 3rd international pearl auction in Tahiti approaching, the authorities are determined to strengthen buyer and professional confidence through reinforced and transparent control measures.

Finally, beyond the pearl sector, fishing remains a government priority.
Temauri Foster emphasized the need to facilitate the export of longline products while reducing the administrative burden on operators.
In this effort, the Directorate of Marine Resources will remain the key point of contact for professionals in their dealings with customs services.