The WA Fisheries Business plan highlights the key objective of the pearling subprogram ensuring ecological and environmental sustainability. Strategy 4 of Program 1 in FRDC’s R&D plan is increasing and applying knowledge of the effects of non-fishing activities, including the effects of aquaculture, on marine ecosystems.

The pearl and shellfish industry needs to operate in an environmentally sustainable manner and have the supporting science for communication to the public at large. It has recently been criticized environmentally in NSW, Tasmania, and Queensland.

Environmental risk assessment of the pearl industry (Jernakoff 2001 - FRDC 2001/099) concluded there is a lack of knowledge about the pearl industry’s environmental interactions and the key environmental research issue is whether or not there are long term environmental impacts from pearling. In a climate of increasing conflict over the use of the coastal zone this lack of documented knowledge is a direct threat. This project addresses the highest risk activity identified - shell cleaning. Its aim is to studying whether or not changes can be detected in the benthic environment around pearling leases and to provide baseline measurements around which an industry EMS can be developed.

Concurrently, the PPA is a partner with a Seafood Services Ltd (SSA) pilot program developing Environmental Management Systems (EMS). The specific scientific requirements of an EMS for the industry remain ill-defined due to the general lack of basic knowledge. Results from this project will inform the development of an industry wide EMS.

The PPA’s long term need is to develop its capacity to initiate, manage and complete programs of corporate research with the long term aim of enhancing its environmental management, pearl production and status within the market. This aim lies within FRDC’s strategy for Industry Development. This project is the first step in the PPA’s long term direction.

Based on the Government ESD and Oceans Policies the pearling industry is currently facing several significant concerns. These include the need to:

- demonstrate objectively that pearling activities have minimal, if any, adverse ecological impact on the marine environment.
- identify challenges and threats to the fishery's continued variability from an ESD perspective
- demonstrate objectively that the fishery is environmentally sustainable
- obtain broad ecological information to assist the industry in identifying what environmental characteristics are key elements of successful pearl farming; and
- identify what areas of research are required to substantiate the pearling industry's claim of ongoing ESD.