Study of pearl oyster spat collection success - French Polynesia
October corresponds matches in French Polynesia to with the beginning of the pearl oyster spat collection season. In collaboration with the PROTEGE project, a team from the Marine Resources Serviuces (MRD) visited Mangareva to study the success of the collection for the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 seasons.
Collector monitoring showed little difference between the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 seasons, which were themselves similar to the 2018/2019 season. The last three seasons are thus considered "normal".
In comparison, and according to the pearl farmers, the 2016/2017 season had been exceptional while the 2017/2018 season had been rather poor. However, no precise figures could be provided to support these testimonies
Concurrently, a more sustainable collection system was submerged in early 2021 in collaboration with some of the island's pearl farmers to test its effectiveness. The main difference between the new system and the old one lies in the material used. The traditional collectors are made of umbra while the new collectors are made of flexible plastic. Although still made of plastic, the new collectors are less easily degradable and can last up to 10 years (compared to 3 to 4 years for the old collectors). The cup collectors are already used in France by oyster farmers of hollow oysters.
The comparison between the "classic" type collectors and the more durable "cup" type collector could unfortunately not be conducted successfully because the installation dates could not be coordinated between pearl farmers. However, the tests will be repeated in 2022.
This work is part of the DRM's desire to better understand the factors that regulate the collection in the islands of French Polynesia, in order to optimize this crucial stage in the production of black pearls, the country's second most important economic resource.
