The ANR MANA project ( https://mana.ird.nc ), initially dedicated to the pearl atolls of the South Pacific, has been extended to the high pearl islands with funding from the French Polynesian Marine Resources Directorate.

In the southeast corner of Polynesia, the Gambier lagoon, especially around Mangareva Island, was instrumented by a team of IRD (Entropy and SEOH), Ifremer (LEAD) and DRM from October 25 to November 9.

Twenty-six sensors measuring currents, temperature, water height and waves were installed to study the hydrodynamics of the lagoon and its oceanic forcing.

At the same time, 37 inventory stations of the natural pearl oyster stock were carried out in the 0-30m zone. This work will be completed by a second mission at the end of February 2020 during which all the instruments will be surveyed and the mapping of natural stocks will be completed.

Ultimately, this work should lead to a better understanding of the variability of oyster spat collection in the Gambier. Advances in this field of research were also the subject of a presentation at the Forum de la Perliculture in Papeete on October 22 (http://www.ressources-marines.gov.pf/2019/10/23/le-vice-president-ouvre-le-forum-de-la-perliculture/).