Stimulating investment in pearl farming in ... - World Fish Center

CONTENTS1 THE PROJECT...............................................................................................12 INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................22.1 Pearl farming in the Pacific.............................................................................22.2 Previous pearl oyster exploitation in Solomon Islands...................................43 THE PEARL OYSTERS ................................................................................53.1 Suitability of coastal habitat in Solomon Islands............................................53.2 Spat collection and growout............................................................................63.3 Water Temperature .........................................................................................83.4 White-lipped pearl oyster availability.............................................................83.5 The national white-lip survey .........................................................................83.6 Water quality.................................................................................................133.7 Natural disasters............................................................................................144 DOING BUSINESS IN SOLOMON ISLANDS..........................................154.1 Security of investment ..................................................................................164.1.1 Governance and law......................................................................................164.1.2 Land and land lease issues ............................................................................174.1.3 Physical Security...........................................................................................184.1.4 Security of profits .........................................................................................184.2 Taxation and incentives ................................................................................194.2.1 Tax structure .................................................................................................194.2.2 Incentives ......................................................................................................194.3 Labour ...........................................................................................................204.4 Environmental impact assessment. ...............................................................215 POLICY, REGULATION AND MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES............215.1 Policy ...........................................................................................................225.2 Legislation.....................................................................................................235.3 Licencing.......................................................................................................256 INVESTOR VISITS .....................................................................................266.1 Investor Feedback .........................................................................................276.2 Commercialisation and Financing ................................................................286.3 Investor’s recommendations for next steps...................................................307 CONCLUSION.............................................................................................31