The atoll of Manihi, once the beating heart of pearl farming in French Polynesia, has seen its brilliance fade after hosting over 70 pearl farms in the 1980s and 90s. Today, fewer than ten farms remain, struggling under the weight of a prolonged crisis. The once-thriving industry has yet to recover from the dramatic drop in prices that upended the local economy.
The Rise and Fall of Pearl Farming
Pearl farming in French Polynesia began in 1961 in the pristine waters of Hikueru Atoll. The government, convinced of pearls’ potential, had invested 10 million Fcfp (French Pacific francs) as early as 1956 to exploit the Pinctada margaritifera oyster. Jean Domard, a French veterinarian and head of the Fisheries Department, played a key role in this success, paving the way for the industry’s golden age.
In December 1963, the first harvest of commercially viable round pearls yielded 276 gems. This breakthrough led to grafting attempts in Bora Bora, but private enterprises soon took over. Manihi became the first site for private pearl farms with the founding of the Société Perlière de Manihi (SPM) in 1968, led by Jacques Rosenthal and Australian biologist William Reed.
Over the years, pearl farming expanded to the Tuamotu, Gambier, and Leeward Islands, though the Austral and Marquesas Islands remained untouched. However, overproduction—combined with management missteps and questionable political decisions—triggered a steep price decline. In 1990, pearls sold for 6,490 Fcfp per gram, but by August 2003, the price had plummeted to just 800 Fcfp.
A Fading Industry, a Lingering Hope
Today, Tahitian pearls struggle to reinvent themselves, their heyday now a distant memory. Many farms have closed, leaving behind ruins and hundreds of lost jobs. Yet some family-run operations endure, clinging to hope through oyster spat collection.
A visit to Temotu Perles, run by Michel Grillot near Pension Poerani Nui, reveals these small, resilient ventures fighting to stay afloat. Though the scale of grafting has shrunk, the pioneering spirit that built the industry lives on. Despite challenges, the pearls’ quality remains high, and prices are competitive.
This journey into Manihi’s pearl-farming world offers a fascinating glimpse into a declining yet hopeful industry. It will captivate adventurers and history enthusiasts, echoing tales of legendary explorers like Henry de Monfreid, whose pearl-hunting expeditions in the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa left an indelible mark.
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