I'm waiting for people to get the hint that rather than merit pointing endlessly in Abyssea, they could be getting plasm doing it in Adoulin.
Even if Abyssea didn't get the meriting job done much faster (which it should), there becomes a problem once you start partying up for your xp (not everyone will be good enough to just solo Adoulin mobs, especially if they need plasm in the first place). Shards are only good for one person, and they only give a pittance of plasm.

2/3 is also definitely not the average rate for shard drops.