#Oyster spat collection methods drivers#
In fact, the effects of climate change on the production system are not the main drivers of the decline of the sector even though they are expected to amplify certain weaknesses that resulted from the recent economic and COVID-19 crises, including an increase of poverty of pearl farmers, competition and inequalities. can potentially affect the sector before climate changes. On the other hand, factors like population growth, patterns of economic development, governance and political stability, markets and trade, fuel costs etc.
The increase of production costs and decrease of production are the main consequences of those changes (Sensitivity of the sector). Major impacts on oysters and pearls (Sensitivity of oysters/pearls) are related to the slow but permanent shift in physical and chemical conditions of the surrounding environment that will be devastating for the entire production systems. This framework was considered the most suitable to understand the differences of views and perceptions between experts and local producer/communities.Īs for the actual and perceived exposure of French Polynesia to certain climate impacts, mostly experts are concerned about the projected increase in intensity and frequency of cyclones and storms, especially in the Tuamotu archipelago, while producers and local communities are more concerned about the shift of seasons and the effects on habitats. The inputs of the participants are integrated into two Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) models, one for the vulnerability of the sector and one specific for local communities. Moreover, the vulnerability is usually assessed with reference to extreme climate events and less to long-term and permanent changes in environmental conditions.
The results of the study emphasise that local perception is key determinant for local adaptation, and it should be taken into consideration together with household income, age, homeownership or distance from hazard when assessing vulnerability. Understanding the different views of the participants of the study was essential to establish priorities in adaptation strategies that are understood and perceived as relevant by the local population and business of these remote islands. The qualitative and quantitative information obtained has been analysed by a mix of quantitative (statistic) and qualitative (thematic analysis) methods. The survey was carried out in 2020 in the three areas where the production takes place, the Society, the Tuamotu and the Gambier archipelagos. The present study aims to assessing the vulnerability of the French Polynesian pearl farming and associated communities to climate change by gathering the views of local experts and the knowledge and perception of local producers and communities. An extensive literature review has allowed to identify a wide range of criteria of exposure, sensitivity of oyster and pearl, pearl farming and local communities as well as criteria of adaptive capacity. The FAO proposes a framework to assess the vulnerability of fisheries and aquaculture Social-Ecological Systems (SESs) to climate change which includes three core components: (level of) Exposure, Sensitivity and Adaptive capacity. Hence, when assessing the effects of climate change it is essential to recognise the strong link between environment and local communities that depend on ecosystem services to ensure their livelihoods. While there is wide consensus about the impact of climate change at global scale, there is still uncertainty about changes in local environmental conditions and even less on the effects for local economies and societies well-being.
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