Elcimaï Environnement has been tasked with developing a waste management plan for pearl farming in French Polynesia
Driven by a commitment to greater environmental stewardship—on which its sustainability depends—the pearl farming industry in French Polynesia has commissioned the consortium Elcimaï Environnement – PAE TAI PAE UTA – VERTIGO LAB to develop a waste management plan for the sector
The farming of pearl oysters for the production of cultured pearls, or pearl farming, was a major industry in French Polynesia in the 1970s and 1980s. As the leading economic sector linked to the exploitation of marine resources, it also made a significant social contribution, notably by providing jobs in the most remote islands.
While it remains one of the main economic activities, the sector has been in crisis since the early 2000s due to the rise of international competition and, at the same time, a decline in demand. Furthermore, overexploitation of the resource and poor industrial practices are causing disruption to the ecosystem of certain lagoons (Government report, September 2018).
The public strategy aims to organize the production and development of high-quality pearls. It seeks to preserve French Polynesia’s major ecological advantage—namely, the capacity for natural harvesting as well as the good health of the lagoons and the resource—by ensuring, in particular, rational use. At the same time, the overall improvement in pearl quality must be promoted by supporting innovation in pearl farming and grafting techniques.
The reform of the pearl farming sector is now well underway, marked by a strong commitment to greater environmental consideration, on which the sustainability of the pearl farming industry heavily depends.
The activity also generates waste, which itself is a source of odorous, visual, and environmental pollution. Primarily resulting from professional activities, this waste is either submerged or stored on land (propylene baskets and collectors, ABS16 buoys, nylon ropes, sandbags, etc.). It can also result from the construction of farming facilities and homes on stilts within the lagoon itself. The discharge of plastic macro-waste into the environment represents a major impact of pearl farming, especially since, in addition to the environment, public health is also at stake.
It is against this backdrop—an assessment of pollution in natural environments caused by this waste and a search for more sustainable practices and management—that Elcimaï Environnement was tasked with developing a pearl farming waste management plan for French Polynesia. The interdependence between the environment and pearl farming means that this sustainable development approach must ensure the quality of the pearls produced and the long-term viability of the industry.
Specifically, Elcimaï Environnement will contribute its expertise to PAE TAI PAE UTA, a consulting firm based in French Polynesia with which it has collaborated for several years and which is the lead contractor for the project, as well as to VERTIGO LAB. Drawing on its technical knowledge in the field of pearl farming in particular, and aquaculture in general, the team thus formed intends to bring a multidisciplinary approach to the project : environmental, human, and economic.
