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Air Tahiti Magazine 65
destination sharks have now been protected by polynesian law for over three years and it s illegal to fish for them in any manner commercial or not; law-breakers will be punished. furthermore, «shark feeding,» the act of drawing in sharks with food in order to observe them, is also illegal. these restrictions are necessary to protect sharks, a species that plays an integral role not only in the ecosystem, but in polynesian culture. natural resource and bringing it to its highest potential. many pearl farms have now been built in the lagoon, all dedicated to the culture and harvest of the jewels of the gambier. discover . . . the lagoon isn t only an indispensable part of life for the locals, it s a fabulous place to visit as a tourist. just the beauty of this lagoon, without taking note of the other astounding aspects of this archipelago, makes it worth the effort to get to the gambier. the aquamarine interior sea is dotted with steep green isles creating a surreal tapestry of color. with a mask, fins and snorkel you discover yet another dimension: the rich underwater world. boat trips and excursions are the best way to visit the region. getting out on the water makes it possible to appreciate the huge diversity of landscapes including the tiny sand islets scattered across the lagoon. it s a treat to visit these motu (the tahitian word for coral islets) as well as the high islands, to get a view of the lagoon from different perspectives. many motu are found along the barrier reef including motu teauaone, motu tekava, motu kouaku et motu tepapuri. gambier pearls among the world s most beautiful . . . the quality of the waters around mangareva (the main gambier island) has lead to major pearl farming development and this has become one of the archipelago s main industries. the pearls from this region are reputed as being some of the most beautiful in the country. long before pearl culturing, natural pearls from this area were known and much-coveted, particularly in the 19th century. it s very rare for pearls to form naturally; only one pearl is found per 15,000 to 20,000 oysters! because of this, pearl fishing meant collecting a massive amount of pearl oysters (pinctada margaritifera). various merchants, adventurers and traffickers devoted themselves to a quasi-plundering of the gambier lagoon looking for this precious gem and also to collect mother of pearl. fortunately, this era has long come to an end and today a major interest is protecting this 18 revue de bord n°65 / air tahiti / on-board magazine n°65
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