An ambitious reform of Polynesia’s pearl industry has just been adopted after months of negotiations between sector professionals and the Minister of Pearl Farming. This restructuring, which will take effect in January, marks a decisive turning point for this iconic industry in French Polynesia.
At the heart of this overhaul is the abandonment of the mandatory pearl certification system, deemed “obsolete” and “punitive” by many industry players. This 2005 system will be replaced by a quota scheme aimed at better regulating production while giving pearl farmers more freedom in their commercial strategies.
“We want to be able to sell more pearls. Before, there were strict controls on the pearl’s nacre thickness and appearance, which were really penalizing for producers and traders,” explains Aline Baldassari-Bernard, president of the Professional Pearl Producers’ Union. “This 2005 classification had become unbearable—it was completely outdated.”
This reform comes amid concerning economic conditions for the sector. The latest figures from French Polynesia’s Institute of Statistics reveal a drastic drop in raw pearl exports in April, with a 65% decline in value, highlighting the urgent need for restructuring.
Teva Rohfritsch, Minister of Pearl Farming, emphasizes the philosophy behind the reform: “The spirit of this text is about empowering industry stakeholders, with a redefinition of the administration’s role and greater responsibility for professionals.” However, he clarifies that “the option to obtain free certification of nacre thickness from the Marine Resources Department” remains for those who wish to use it as a selling point.
The introduction of quotas is another major innovation of this reform. Managed by local committees, these quotas will not only allow precise quantification of pearl production—a previously unknown statistic—but also incorporate environmental criteria to preserve resources.
Other key measures in this regulatory overhaul include professionalizing the sector through the introduction of professional licenses, implementing a pearl product traceability system, and establishing a Pearl Farming Council.
The draft law still has several steps to complete before its expected implementation on January 1: finalizing the text, presenting it to the Council of Ministers, and then review by the CESC and the French Polynesian Assembly. Nevertheless, industry professionals appear confident in the outcome of this process and the anticipated benefits of this regulated liberalization.
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