Pearl farming, the second-largest economic sector in French Polynesia, is an activity deeply rooted in local culture, relying on the cultivation of pearl oysters. It takes place in the lagoons, particularly in the Tuamotu archipelago, using submerged structures on which the oysters grow. For over 40 years, these plastic structures have degraded, becoming unusable and often left in the lagoons due to the challenges of removing them from the water and the lack of enforcement of regulations. Today, the ecosystems in the pearl farming lagoons are dying due to thousands of tonnes of macro-waste, which degrade into microplastics and remain trapped in the lagoons. Researchers from the University of French Polynesia have shown that all species, including some protected ones, are threatened by this pollution, which endangers their ecological continuity and the sustainability of the black pearl resource itself. This project aims to partially clean the Takaroa lagoon by implementing an efficient and replicable mechanical method for waste collection.
Duration: 18 months
