Assessment of deep water stocks of pearl oysters at Takapoto Atoll (Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia)

An assessment of natural stocks of the commercially important black pearl oyster, Pinctada margaritifera, was conducted in the lagoon of Takapoto Atoll, French Polynesia. The sampling methodology combined estimates of reef area from remote sensing, depth profiles across the lagoon, and in situ sampling using scuba. Confidence limits around estimates of mean oyster density began to stabilize after ten dives, and did not decrease further after 30. Densities of oysters increased steadily with depth, ranging from a mean of 1 per 100 m² at 0–10 m to 8/100 m² at 30–40 m. More than half of the stock occurred at depths greater than 30 m. The total stock was estimated to be 4.3 ± 0.67 million, equivalent to 834 metric tonnes (including shells). Accepted: 15 June 1999