CIBJO Releases Pearl Sector Report

(IDEX Online) - The World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO) has produced a special Pearl Commission report ahead of its annual congress in Bahrain next month. This is the eighth in a series of reports prepared for the congress.

The report, prepared by the CIBJO Pearl Commission, headed by Kenneth Scarratt, looks at the growing impact of environmental and conservationist factors on the pearl sector. The report concludes that these factors pose challenges and also opportunities.

The report highlights the Philippines where climate and environmental changes have had a significant effect on pearl production. These relate to greater fluctuations in water temperature, ocean acidification, and the changing of the plankton profile, which has affected the survival rate of certain batches of oysters, as well as the overall growth rate.

"These changes present both challenges and opportunities. Obviously, the main challenge is the lower volume of production that will be available for distribution to the global market. On the other hand, this also serves as an opportunity because, with the lower biomass density, comes the potential to achieve a higher quality output," notes Scarratt.

The report also looks at natural pearls. While rare, they are most commonly a by-product of the seafood industry, and could, therefore, be subject to restrictions imposed by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna (CITES), as is the case with the Queen conch, off the coast of Mexico.