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In 2015, Western Australia’s pearling industry faced a serious downturn, and producers were looking for ways to protect both pearl farming and the businesses around it. The remedies they proposed—clearer country-of-origin labelling, more marketing in Asia and tourism—were ideas, not proven fixes. Later reporting showed one farm pursuing a different business model, but the available sources do not establish the industry’s position in 2026.
What the 2015 crisis report described
A PerthNow report published on 29 June 2015 attributed the downturn to several pressures: oyster oedema disease (OOD), weaker demand after the global financial crisis and overseas “hatching” technology that increased competition. The article said producer numbers in Western Australia had fallen to three and that export values had lost more than $150 million a year compared with a former annual value of $200 million. Those are the report’s historical claims, not current industry figures.
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The report quoted Cygnet Bay general manager James Brown warning, “Is there a possibility that the Australian industry could literally phase out? Yes, absolutely there is.” Clipper Pearls general manager Patrick Moase described repeated losses or break-even years and difficult business decisions. These accounts convey the strain producers faced at the time; they do not establish the circumstances of those businesses today.
Historical export estimates
PerthNow attributed the following estimates, in US dollars, to the Pearl Producers Association:
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| Year | Estimated Australian pearl exports |
|---|---|
| 2010 | US$78 million |
| 2011 | US$73 million |
| 2012 | US$62 million |
| 2013 | US$48 million |
This is a historical series reported in 2015, not a current export total. PerthNow also said Paspaley Pearls accounted for about 70 per cent of Australian production at that time; it should not be read as a present-day market share.
What producers proposed as a lifeline
The 2015 report described three possible ways to help sustain the industry. It did not demonstrate that any of them had been adopted or had succeeded.
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Make Australian origin easier to identify
Producers wanted clearer country-of-origin labelling to distinguish Australian-grown pearls from imports. In 2016, ABC reported that the Joint Select Committee on Northern Australia recommended labelling changes. The recommendation is not evidence that the proposed changes became law.
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Market pearls more actively in Asia
Producers also proposed more marketing in Asian markets. The case was to build demand and recognition for Australian pearls, but the reporting does not provide an evaluation showing what effect this approach had.
Use tourism to diversify income
A tourism strategy could make Broome a destination and bring visitors into contact with pearling businesses and products. This would create a route to customer spending beyond wholesale sales, though the 2015 article presented it as an idea rather than a measured solution.
Why marine-use questions mattered
The 2015 report described conflict over water leases used by oil and gas operators and uncertainty about seismic surveying near Eighty Mile Beach. In 2016, the Pearl Producers Association raised concerns about seismic exploration and sought an extension to a marine reserve and a special pearling zone. ABC reported that the association was working with the oil and gas industry on research into possible effects. Association executive officer Aaron Irving said, “While we know a lot about oysters at Eighty Mile Beach, what we don’t know is the effect of seismic exposure on pearls down the track.” This was a statement of uncertainty, not evidence that seismic activity had caused the industry’s losses.
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ABC also reported that the parliamentary committee raised concerns about oil and gas exploration near oyster beds and breeding grounds and recommended support for the Kimberley Aquaculture Development Zone. These were concerns and proposals attributed to the committee and people quoted in the report, not proof that the measures were implemented.
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By 22 September 2019, ABC Rural was reporting signs of renewed confidence at Cygnet Bay. The farm had invested in a purpose-built hatchery and research after disease-related shell mortality reduced productivity. The reporting described hatchery-grown shell as a prospect for supporting future crops; it did not establish an industry-wide recovery.
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Cygnet Bay had also shifted away from wholesale markets toward direct sales through tourism and retail. It partnered with Broken Bay Pearls under the Pearls of Australia brand. Brown described a consumer interest in unusual pearls, saying, “Australia is very famous for its very big, consistent white pearls, but unlike the wholesale market consumers actually want something rare and different.” That was his characterization, not the result of a market-wide survey. The report also described the process of grading a harvest; Brown called it “the one opportunity we’ve got to assess the success or failure of each crop.”
ABC Rural reported that 16 independent producers had operated on the Kimberley coast at the industry’s peak, while the mid-2000s downturn left three companies in Western Australia. Cygnet Bay’s investments and direct-to-consumer strategy show how one business responded, but they cannot be taken as evidence that every producer recovered or that any single strategy is best for the sector.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the later policy record says—and does not say
In 2023, the WA Government announced a proposed Aquatic Resource Management Strategy for the Pinctada maxima resource. The draft covered objectives, allocation of access among user groups, the scientific basis for allowable catch, stock-health monitoring and responses to sustainability issues. The government announcement says consultation is closed; it does not establish the current implementation status of every proposed measure or the industry’s financial condition.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsWhat can be concluded about the industry now
The record shows that Western Australian pearlers were confronting production, demand and competition challenges in 2015, and that the proposed responses ranged from provenance labelling and marketing to tourism. Later reporting documents hatchery investment and a shift toward retail and tourism at Cygnet Bay, while the government’s 2023 announcement provides a resource-management context. The available sources do not establish current producer numbers, export totals or the sector’s 2026 economic position, nor do they compare the effectiveness of these different approaches across the industry.
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