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

Abundance, Size Structure and Quality of Silver-lip Pearl Oysters in the Solomon Islands Draft, May 2008In Marau the pearl oyster industry was important to the economies of many people, thoughfor all it was a partial living only. A mix of mask, hookah and SCUBA diving has beenundertaken there, more or less dominated by the local people. Shell is still collected in smallamounts and is used and sold locally, mostly for jewellery and shell money; it hastraditional values for this. The shells are widespread and people report taking them fromlagoons, passages and open water. Depth limits result in the slopes of the passages beingfished rather than the central areas. Good locations include the shallow Suukitahi Passage,the slopes of the passes between the islands. A new area was recently discovered NE ofTaiaru Reef.NgellaTwo main areas were identified to us, Sandlfy Passage and Mboli passage. Mboli Passagereported the shell as providing a partial living to many people and that it was important.Both mask and hookah diving were carried out, by locals as well as outsiders, thoughcommercial buyers dominated the outside influence. Some shell is still taken here for localuse. Shell are found in the passage itself, but some interviewees said also in the water at thenorthern end of the passage, to both east and west where it spills out into the open sea;others reported that these were not good areas. Mboli Passage itself is the only site nowfished, with shell beginning part way up the passage (from Honiara end) just past a rockypoint favoured by sunbathing crocs. Small shell are found right up to the mangroves. Noshell are apparently found at the southern part of the passage, nor where this opens to thesea, but it might be worth a quick look to confirm this.Sandfly passage is deep in the centre and most shell is taken in the bays and slopes to northand south. Here interviewees suggested that shell was moderately to highly important tothe community, though fishing was by mask only by those that were spoken to. This limiteddivers to shallow water. Some people still take shell here for local use. The favouredlocations were all around Mbike Island and the promontory to the north of this (HanipanaPt) and the shallow water area to the north of this might be worth a look. Two Bays,Roderick Dhu Bay and Haroro Bay were also identified as good sites. Respondents here alsoreported that shell are to be found in two passages NW of Sandfly, Hanesavo Harbour andthe passage running NE/SW to the E of Mangalonga Island.Maramasike (Malaita)This preliminary survey was undertaken by Fisheries staff and was less comprehensive thanthose undertaken by WorldFish staff. A picture emerges of a breath-hold capture industrythat was of moderate importance to a few people. Only locals were involved, and breathholddepth limits apply. Currently there are no commercial activities, though oysters arestill seen and when caught, there is a local market for shell. Not clear form responses, butthis may again be for shell money and jewellery. Three villages were canvassed, and threeareas are identified on the east and west sides of the northern mouth of MaramasikePassage, but with insufficient detail to define sites at this stage.The Ecology Lab Pty Ltd – Marine and Freshwater Studies