It is very rare that somebody calls me in the evening. It goes this way in Fiji. At 8 pm it is very late and at 9pm, everybody sleeps in Taveuni. But on Tuesday June 20th at 9:30pm, a Fisheries Officer called me. Now that is very odd. A few bowls of grog had probably loosened his inhibition preventing him from calling me.
-“Mr Claude…. It’s Ilisoni from Fisheries.”
Now this is very, very odd. Ilisoni is a working relation and not a close friend. His phone call had to be important then.
- “Yes Ilisoni, what can I do for you tonight.”
- “Mr Claude,… hum,… hum… (and the typical long pause of shyness)…”
- “What is it Ilisoni? did you have some grog? you sound in a good mood.”
- “Yes, we are celebrating. We are celebrating the oyster harvest. I am in Nasavu in Bua. Today, we harvested 4382 oysters, and you owe the village more than 11 000$!!!”
I just could not believe it. This was the phone call that I have been waiting for 10 years. Ilisoni would have called at midnight, and I would still bear the same smile of happiness. This was the culminating success of a long and arduous road filled with political movements, a bit of drama, cyclones, strong will and patience. My name is Claude Michel Prevost and I am the owner of 1 of the only 2 pearl farms in Fiji, Civa Fiji Pearls in Taveuni.
A pearl farm gobbles up a lot of oysters to survive. Because of normal mortality rate combined with the odd cyclone and random spikes in water temperatures, you need a constant inflow of fresh oysters to stay in the game. The more, the better (probably like everything else in life). The only reason why my farm is not a big farm is simply because I do not get the inflow of oysters, I need to grow the farm… until now. For that you need a lot of cash, and you need to know where to go. Pearl oysters can be found in the wild (handpicked on the reefs). This technique takes time, a lot of manpower and is a slow process. We can also find them by putting oyster collecting lines in the water where wild pearl larvae settles over time. We can also grow them in a hatchery, but it commands serious investments and is fraught with technical issues and unreliable outputs.
The Nasavu village used the spat collecting lines technique to get their oysters (that were sold back to us). By the end of the following week, I would receive almost 7000 oysters when the lines in Sawani and Nasawana would also be harvested. As I am writing these lines, the village of Raviravi is yet to harvest their lines, so that number will probably grow again.
ACIAR (to the rescue of a dying industry)
In 2012, ACIAR (Australian Center for International Agricultural research) in partnership with the Ministry of Fisheries embarked on a research program to understand the bottlenecks of the industry and find a cure to the decline. When I started my farm in 2007, there was about 10 farms in Fiji, in 2012 we were down to 5 and now we are only 2. The team leader of that project with ACIAR is Dr Paul Southgate from the University of Sunshine Coast. He oversees for the Australian agency most of the aid programs for aquaculture development in the South Pacific. Dr Southgate and his team quickly found the issues with the industry and proposed a set of measures to the Ministry of Fisheries to correct the situation at its core. Pearl farming is a very big Industry in French Polynesia, Cook Islands and Australia. Even though the ingredients are in place in Fiji to have a big industry that could easily surpass the sugar industry in terms import replacement, GDP output and exports, … pearl farming in Fiji is very small and insignificant. Pearl farming ticks all the boxes; it is a high value export commodity, it is set in maritime regions releasing the pressures of Nausori-Suva corridor, it has obvious benefits for the fishing rights owners, it has a small environmental impact, foreign exchange, etc… The most important aspect of pearl farming… it is a cool business. When people ask me what I do for a living and I answer that I am a pearl farmer, their eyes light up.
In 2012, one of the issues that was identified as a bottleneck was the poor availability of oysters for farmer. We can see them here and there in the reefs but when you put spat collectors in the water, it is always a hit-and-miss endeavor. I had good years and really bad years of spat collecting. So ACIAR with Fisheries embarked on a long trek to identify where are the hot spots for collecting, it is a slow and tedious research project where lines are deployed, and the waiting game begins. And if you include the impact of TC Winston and COVID in the mix, it is only 9 years later that we see the really good results. Now we know where to go and what to do to find them. Problem solved!
The Pearl Hub of Taveuni
How to include the traditional Fishing Rights Owners and local communities in this Industry has always been big in the hearts and minds of everyone involved. In early 2000, the Fisheries approach was to kick start pearl farms everywhere and it did not work. All the farms went bankrupt. Pearl farming is technical and very cash intensive in the first 5 years. So that approach was a recipe for disaster with the local communities.
ACIAR teaming up with the Ministry of Fisheries came up with the tested approach of French Polynesia to slowly incorporate in the pearl industry the traditional Fishing Right Owners by encouraging them to become suppliers of pearl oysters for pearl farms and producers of half-pearls (mabe) and mother-of-pearl handicraft. The rationale being that over time, the better groups could become pearl farmer themselves. It took the better part of 20 years to have locals operate pearl farms in Tahiti following the same approach. The majority of pearl farms in Tahiti are now locally owned.
And this is how from 1 pearl farm in Taveuni, 6 other villages are now partners in this Pearl Hub. The villages of Sawani, RaviRavi, Nasavu and Nasawana are pearl oyster supplier for our Taveuni Farm. After round pearl production is over, the oysters are then transferred to Dreketi village in Qamea where the women’s club are involved in Mabe production with these oysters. And at one point, the spent shells are then transferred to another village in Taveuni where the Somosomo women’s club is engaged in mother -of-pearl handicraft at the Nasomo Ra Marama Handicraft Center.
All these initiatives are the fruits of the partnership between ACIAR, the University of Sunshine Coast, The Ministry of Fisheries and Forest, and our company, Civa Fiji Pearls Pte Ltd. This program stands on its own, is profitable and creates livelihoods every day.
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With Fiji now open for business again after a long, long wait, we welcome all of you back to our islands. At Civa Fiji Pearls we are ready and super excited to once again give guests a fun and informative insight into our pearl farming process on our highly rated pearl farm tour.
So, please do put us on your "Must Do" list and enjoy some quality time with us in a safe environment.
We look forward to seeing you !
]]>Part 3 of our video series explores the impact of global climate change on Fiji pearls and their production.
]]>In the second part of our video series Civa Fiji Pearls owner Claude Prevost describes how the global COVID-19 outbreak has impacted the business of growing and selling Fiji pearls.
]]>In the first part of a new video series Civa Fiji Pearls owner Claude Prevost takes us through the process of growing pearls and producing the Colours of Fiji.
]]>The Giant Clam Factory is proud to announce its first sale of Giant Clam seedlings to Conservation International for a reef rehabilitation project to be conducted in the Northern Division. The seedlings will be of the Tridacna Derasa species which are known for their hardiness, fast growth and good compatibility with Fiji’s marine environment. The Giant Clam Factory is a commercial shellfish hatchery based in Matagi and Qamea Islands who is now producing Giant Clams from the Squamosa, Derasa and Maxima species for the reef rehabilitation market and export market.
The Giant Clam Factory hopes that this inaugural sale of seedlings is the first of many great reef rehabilitation projects expected for the future of our country.
Claude Michel Prevost, spokesperson for the Giant Clam Factory says:
”The Giant Clams of Fiji are on the brink of extinction and very hard to find following years of overfishing. We are really proud to do our part in rebuilding stocks for future generations. The Ministry of Fisheries was instrumental in bridging the gap between Conservation International who lead this rebuilding effort and us, the provider of the seedlings.”
The Giant Clam Factory is now in the process of getting its certification from the Ministry of Environment. Once full compliance will be achieved with the Ministry of Environment, thousands of seedlings will be available for other reef rehabilitation projects. The Giant Clam Factory works in partnership with the Traditional Fishing Right Owners of the Vanua Trust of Laucala by providing to the Trust 10% of all clams produced at the Hatchery for their own development purpose.
Jone Fifita Rakesa, chairman of the Vanua Trust of Laucala says:
“The Giant Clam Factory is a clear example of a private entity working in Partnership with our community to develop our resource while protecting it. They have good knowledge that they are willing to share for the long term benefit of all. We are custodian of this resource and we must, for the sake of our children, develop it while protecting it.”
The Vanua trust of Laucala is the legal body representing the 3 Yavusa, namely Nasovu, Qaraniya'u and Naqelelevu. Representatives of each Yavusa make up the Vanua Laucala Trust. One of the role is to work with any investor that wants to use our qoliqoli and other development purposes. It oversee one of the biggest Qoliqoli areas in Fiji.
______________________________________________________
Can be reached for comments:
* Claude Michel Prevost is the spokesperson for the Giant Clam Factory, 935-6168,
* Semisi Meo is the Marine Program Manager, 9970353
* Jone Fifita Rakesa, an academic currently a civil servant in Australia - +61450642815
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Or do they ?
Not so fast. Pearl farming is farming. And it took me a while to understand that. Our farm is on the lagoon - that part is true. As for the rest - not so much.
Our land base is on the rural part of the Island where there are no resorts or restaurants, squeezed between 2 other farms; one is a cattle farm, the other a pineapple farm. The same farmer runs both of them. Over the years, we became very good friends. We have our habits we meet every Sunday morning to have a cup of tea and chew the fat as they would say over here. We chitchat 2-3 hours every week about everything and anything but most weeks we end up talking about his farming problems or my farming problems. And all these problems are very similar whatever the commodity.
Cattle, pineapple or pearls - farming is farming.
My partner Danielle and I have been farming pearls for ten years with a fairly good measure of success considering the Fiji environment. By all standards we have a small pearl farm, and despite 2 cataclysmic Tropical Cyclones in 2010 and 2016 that really took a chunk out of our lives, we are still farming pearls.
Our pearls are very colorful and draw a lot of attention. Like every pearl farmer we get good crops and bad crops. We get big pearls and small pearls. We get pearls with spots and we get pearls with no spots. It is a game of averages. In a perfect world, you would want to produce only big round colorful pearls with no spots but the world would have to be perfect to achieve that. Some farmers are better than others though. They seem to live in a world that is a bit more perfect than ours. So we put a lot of effort on our quality of work and our work systems to try to tip our world in a more perfect one. We hire the best technicians from Japan, we monitor water temperature, acidity, conductivity, turbidity, algae content, etc. We have all the tools and, on paper, we are competent. Still, sometimes the numbers are not quite right.
Over the years, I have become a different pearl farmer while Danielle has focused her attention more on the jewelry and retail side of the business. Understanding how other farms perform better took me time.
Few farmers share their secrets, if they have any. Pearl farming is not magic and is not rocket science. It is a well documented craft, and since all farmers need pearl technicians for a period of time during their harvest, the techs move around and talk a lot. With time I have learned a lot about how other farms operate. I now understand very well the engineering aspect beyond farming, and the biology beyond the process. With all the knowledge and hard work, I was supposed to be above average. But I was not. I was just average.
When we started farming, we were told then that we would do well if we kept an average pearl size on first seed oysters of 10 mm, and 12.5mm on second seeded oysters. Maintaining an average percentage of round pearls exceeding 10% was also a realistic goal. It is a big average to maintain but our type of oyster can produce these sizes and some farms in Tahiti, Indonesia and Australia reach that target easily.
We were told also that we would have to put money aside for a rainy day as oysters sometimes get sick and we can lose them - sometimes in very uncomfortably big numbers. Over the years we had to pinch in the savings to keep the farm going while oysters were on a health strike and dying. We had years with averages of 9.7mm and other years with averages of 10.4mm. We had years with round percentage in excess of 25% and other years with less than 3%. So I guess we were doing OK.
My focus while farming was always on the pearl production aspect. How to produce nice pearls. And it makes sense because in Fiji we do not have access to the large numbers of oysters available in Tahiti or Australia. Maximizing the averages is the only way to survive.
Using the best technicians from Japan is critical. Having a great or an average technician to do your seeding and harvest makes a big difference in yield - or so I thought. I would have to relearn and redefine that statement.
In 2016, an event affected our lives and our farm deeply and I would need to learn quickly how to do much better if we wanted to survive. Some farms (very few of them actually) can achieve super averages of 11mm on their first seed and 14mm on their second seeds. The difference between 10m and 11mm is only 10%, but down the line, in dollar value, it’s almost twice the dollars. That’s just how it is. Pearl value does not follow a linear curve, it follows a super logarithmic one. So if you move your production average from 10 to 11mm, a $100,000 bag of pearls becomes a $200,000 bag of pearls - and that can change a few things in your life.
In February 2016, average 10 mm farmer Claude got hit by a super Category 5 Tropical Cyclone. And as you can read in a previous blog, we lost mostly everything we possessed. The farm was not spared either. We had lost all our juveniles and that would take 3 years to rebuild.
Still, we had a few things going for us. We quickly found a new home, we had some cash, we had a good inventory of pearls for our shop, and our implanted oysters in the water did not seem to be affected. So with a bit of luck and heaps of elbow grease, we might pull through. But, I would need to do much better than a 10 mm average.
Pearl farming is a waiting game. You wait for your container to arrive from China with the farming material. Then you deploy the baby oyster catching lines and wait while the baby oysters grow on them for 18 months, then you wait another 6 months for them to grow bigger. Once they are big enough (10 cm or more) you seed the oysters and wait 12 to 18 months for your harvest depending on the growth rate of the pearl. After that, you reseed the oysters for a second pearl and wait again.
That is a lot of time to think. And that is lot of tea drinking with my neighbor to talk about my farming problems.
It is funny how our brain works - it listens to what it wants to listen to and it understands what it wants to understand. Sometimes, the obvious is right in front of you and you don’t see it. For years my lead Japanese technician has told me everything he knew about farming, and for years my neighbor has told me what a great pineapple farmer but how bad a cattle farmer he was. And only when I asked him why he thought he was a bad cattle farmer and he gave me an honest answer, only then I knew why I was an average pearl farmer and not a great pearl farmer.
The penny dropped and it only dawned on me then.
He told me this:
”I have bad, weak, unhealthy cows because I have bad grass. If I manage to get good grass once in a while, big fat healthy cows happen by themselves. I have great pineapples because I manage my soil very well. I just need to grow better grass. A great cattle farmer is a great grass grower.”
All those years I focused on pearl production when I should have focused on oyster management. And with hindsight, my Japanese technician was telling me this all the time in his own way, I was just not listening. I was actually listening to what I wanted to hear which was how to make a nice pearl. If I focused more on bringing good oysters to the table, maybe big nice pearls would just happen.
Having a great or an average technician to do your seeding and harvest makes a big difference in yield, or so I thought. This was not what my Japanese technician was actually telling me, but this is what I wanted to hear.
What he was actually telling me was that having a great or an average technician makes a big difference in production yield IF you have average oysters. If you have great oysters, an average or a great technician won’t make a difference in production yield - nice pearls will just happen.
Last month, we had our first harvest post cyclone with oysters that were raised after the cyclone under our new production guidelines. And now, 95% of my time is spent on oyster management.
I call it “Objective 33”.
Wherever you go in the world on pearl farms, we all use the same baskets. And it is easy to understand why - we all go to the same supplier in Japan, or if you’re cheap, you go to a Chinese supplier who makes an exact copy of the Japanese basket. We use these baskets to move oysters around and also to present our opened oyster to our technician who is going to seed them. If your oysters are 10 cm, you can fit 48 to 52 oysters in a basket. If your oyster are a bit undersize at 9cm, you can still seed them with a smaller seed and you can fit 65 to 70 in a basket.
I now can fit only 33 oysters in my baskets because they are big - Trump would say “bigly”. And that changed everything on the farm. No more disease, and big pearls.
At our last harvest we achieved 25% round pearls and that was great. But the really great news was the size with only 7% of our pearls under 10mm and an average at 10.9mm and a few pearls exceeding a whopping 13 mm on first seed.
Now you know one of my secrets - 33 oysters to a basket.
How to achieve 33 to a basket? Well, that is a closely guarded secret!
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Before bringing giant clams into the world, it's essential to know what flavours they come in. The boy/girl choice is the easy bit - quite handily they are both. A few more options are available when we look at the individual species. There are 10 within the genus Tridacna, plus two other species commonly recognised as giant clams. Our giant clam farm is populated by four of the species from the Tridacna genus:
The Small Giant Clam (Tridacna Maxima)
The Maxima Clam, also known as the Small Giant Clam, is a species found throughout the Indo-Pacific region. They are much sought after in the aquarium trade, as their often striking coloration mimics that of the true giant clam; however, the maximas maintain a manageable size, with the shells of large specimens typically not exceeding 20 centimetres (7.9 in) in length.
The small giant clam has the widest range of all giant clam species. It is found in the oceans surrounding east Africa, India, China, Australia, Southeast Asia, the Red Sea and the islands of the Pacific. Found living on the surface of reefs or sand, or partly embedded in coral, the small giant clam occupies well-lit areas, due to its symbiotic relationship with photosynthetic algae, which require sunlight for energy production.
The Fluted Giant Clam, or Scaly Clam (Tridacna Squamosa)
So called for the large, leaf-like fluted edges on its shell. The mantle shell colors vary from browns and purples to greens and yellows arranged in elongated linear or spot-like patterns and grows to 40 centimetres (16 in) across. the clam's mantle tissues act as a habitat for the symbiotic single-celled dinoflagellate algae (zooxanthellae) from which it gets a major portion of its nutrition. By day, the clam spreads out its mantle tissue so that the algae receive the sunlight they need to photosynthesize
The Southern Giant Clam (Tridacna Derasa)
The southern giant clam is one of the largest of the "giant clams", reaching up to 60 cm in length. The mantle usually has a pattern of wavy stripes or spots, and may be various mixtures of orange, yellow, black and white, often with brilliant blue or green lines.
It is native to waters around Australia, Cocos Islands, Fiji, Indonesia, New Caledonia, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vietnam. Populations have also been introduced to American Samoa, Cook Islands, Marshall Islands and Samoa, and reintroduced after extinction in Guam, the Federated States of Micronesia and Northern Mariana Islands. The southern giant clam is found on the outer edges of reefs at depths of 4 to 10 meters.
TheTeardrop Giant Clam (Tridacna Noae)
A newly recognised species distinct from Tridacna Maxima, identifiable by the mantle pattern and coloration, and also gene sequencing which is slightly more difficult for the casual observer! Teardrop Clams are unmistakable are distinguished by the presence of the teardrop pattern on the mantle and a neat row of eyes on the edges of the mantle, whereas these are much more spread out in Tridacna noae.
Teardrop clams have a fairly wide distribution which overlaps with maxima clams; gold teardrop clams are commonly available from Vietnam and blue teardrop clams sporadically appear in the trade from Australia and the Indo-Pacific.
Any well organised parent-to-be will consider the nursery requirements for their future offspring and prepare accordingly. So, before getting down to the fun part of making babies we began construction of the giant clam hatchery on Matagi Island with some major assistance and guidance from the godparents, the Douglas family.
The photos below show the growing raceways at our Lali station - also suitable for raising sea cucumbers - and spawning tanks residing at the Christene Station hatchery awaiting installation of pumps and pipes.
Clams have a lot of babies - and we mean a lot. Back in June 2017 we successfully spawned 120 million Tridacna Maxima into the newly constructed hatcheries. With expert technical advice on creating the perfect environment for these little critters the hopes were high that the maximum number possible would survive and become viable giant clams. Since 10% of the offspring are earmarked for reef rehabilitation projects we had even more reason for a high survival rate.
In August we followed with a spawning of Tridacna Squamosa - the Fluted Giant Clam, and a week later the Southern Giant Clams Tridacna Derasa. To confirm fertilisation we cheekily, but politely, requested use of the excellent microscopes at Taveuni Hospital. The staff generously said Yes (Fijians rarely say No) and we took our tiny samples off island and on 60 km sea and road trip.
Using a Samsung mobile phone camera 1 cm from the objective lens of their nifty Olympus microscope we got the first DIY equivalent of a sonar scan showing our babies were alive and well. Microscopes are on the 2018 Christmas wishlist for Santa !
A follow up visit 3 weeks later and we could clearly see the already well established symbiotic algae zooxanthellae inside the Tridacna Derosa - this will partner with the clam for the rest of its life. Super exciting stuff for us! In addition, healthy 5 week old Tridacna Squamosa, and 7 weeks old Tridacna Maxima and Tridacna Noae.
Raising offspring requires a commitment of time, effort, and money, and the returns and rewards on that investment come much later down the road. Right now we are jumping up and down as the fruits of our labours are actually visible with the naked eye - no need now for hospital visits or microscopes. Clearly visible in our nursery tanks lay baby clams approximately 4-6 millimeters long nestling nicely within the algae, and multiplying rapidly.
By November the Tridacna Squamosa from our 2nd pool were settled on inverted tiles in such numbers they would need thinning out, and in January they too were looking good and growing well. At 6 months old they are already half the size of our export shipping size.
This whole project is starting to look very real, and to date a great success. And 10% of these guys will go back in the ocean for local reef rehabilitation projects - a fantastic bonus for us, the community, and the environment.
Our children eventually grow up and leave home. Our giant clams are primarily earmarked for export and for that to happen we must satisfy all the relevant authorities that our process and product is up to scratch. Inspections and certifications are required, and the Minsistry of Fisheries team as well as Permanent Secretary Mr Sanaila Naqali have visited to ensure compliance.
Also present for the visit, the chairman of the Vanua Trust of Laucala who is the legal representative of the traditional Fishing Right Owners. Once all the checks are done and boxes ticked we will be ready to send Civa's Giant Clams out into the big bad world !
Many thanks to Douglas family from Matangi Private Island Resort, Fiji who have been steadfast and constant in their support, and to Dr Paul Southgate and Dr Pranesh Kishore from the University of the Sunshine Coast and Tropical Aquaculture Research for their continuous technical support. Also Beero Tioti from Pacific-Community-SPC for the constant tips of do's and dont's.
Photo credits - Civa Fiji Pearls, Paul Jelley
]]>Climate change and it's effects are very real and noticeable for many small island nations in the South Pacific, and Fiji is no exception. Generally, such islands possess fewer resources to fight increased global pollution and the downstream hazards that result, such as more frequent and violent storms, rising seas, coastal erosion, ocean acidification, and coral bleaching.
With a couple of notable exceptions the larger more resourceful nations are taking steps to minimise future climate change brought about by human activity, and assist the smaller nations to do likewise - the aim to limit and possibly reverse the changes already apparent.
At Civa Fiji Pearls environmental protection has been a top priority since our inception. After all, our livelihood is dependent on a healthy oceanic environment. Today we reiterate our commitments and deliverable actions relevant the 2017 World Ocean Conference theme of sustainability.
Even though the Fijian Pearl Industry is young and very small, bad farming practices have already affected some sectors of Fiji. Fortunately there is still time to turn the tide.
Our oceans are the geese that lay our golden eggs. Kill the oceans and our supply of golden eggs dwindles to zero. Zero golden eggs means zero resources to sponsor, train, facilitate and grow additional small to medium scale sustainable aquaculture businesses with our local communities. Short-sighted approaches to pearl farming damage the environment and limit future growth potential. Taking the long view creates a virtuous circle of sustainability, profitability, distribution of wealth, and growth.
Villagers from Qamea will very soon benefit from the establishment of a pearl farm in their waters. Civa (Fiji) Pearls Ltd is partnering with the University of the Sunshine Coast (USC) to establish a Half-Pearl (also called Mabe) farm in Qamea. The first half-pearl harvest will be in 2018 with annual subsequent harvests. An initial production target has been fixed at 2,500 half-pearls a year.
This research is part of a collaborative project between ACIAR (Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research) and the Ministry of Fisheries to support sustainable development of a pearl and pearl-shell handicraft sector in Fiji. Civa (Fiji) Pearls ltd will provide the oysters used for half-pearl production at Qamea as well as some of the training and monitoring for this project. The Vanua Trust of Laucala will manage the farm through their womens group.
Professor Paul Southgate from University of the Sunshine Coast and Project Leader for the ACIAR project said “Community collection of juvenile oysters generates income for the community and provides improved supply of oysters to Fiji’s round pearl farms. So far, successful collection and sale of juvenile oysters has occurred at more than 15 communities across Fiji. These communities can use some of the oysters they collect to produce half-pearls for further income generation.
The ACIAR project has so far assisted a number of communities across Fiji to produce half-pearls, including the Raviravi Ladies Group, Natuvu Ladies Group, Ravita Ladies Group and Ratu Nemani (Vanua Levu), and the Namarai Youth Group (Viti Levu). The new farm at Qamea will be the sixth half-pearl farm established during the project and the first in Taveuni. Community production of both juvenile oysters and half-pearls supports income generation and employment in remote areas of Fiji, and provides training opportunities for women and youth.”
Civa Fiji Pearls is extremely happy to partner with USC and ACIAR on this project. A well organised Fishing Rights Owners group through the Vanua Trust of Laucala provides good governance and accountability. Civa has worked with the Vanua Trust of Laucala for 3 years now and the relationship continues to strengthen.
All parties involved - Civa, the Trust, fishing rights owners, communities and individuals - are deeply committed to sustainable development for the long term.
As our projects list grows and more relationships develop we all endeavour to meet the goals of the 2017 World Ocean Conference, and be an example for others to follow in and beyond Fiji. And, of course, well beyond 2017 !!
Aquatec International visiting Taveuni From left to right: Viliame Eriki, Atsushi Koizumi, Masakazu Nhisimura (Chairman, Aquatec International Ltd), Claude Michel Prevost (Director Civa (Fiji) Pearls Ltd), Kali Rabuka (Taveuni District Office)
Civa Fiji Pearls was founded in 2007 and has been producing pearls since 2010.
For further comment contact:
Claude Michel Prevost (Civa Fiji Pearls): 9356168
Kali Rabuka (Taveuni District Office): 8880026
Farmers on the land were similarly counting there own lost crops and lost opportunities of income. Our local market stalls, usually vibrant with the colors of fresh fruit and vegetables were either empty or severely depleted of produce for many months. A whole season of time, effort and income had gone with the wind. Fortunately, nature is as resilient as it is destructive.
Within a few weeks a spurt of new growth cloaked the island in fresh shades of green, and within a few months the landscape showed few signs of the damage previously inflicted. For many villages on the island, however, the path to recovery has been longer, slower, and in many cases still very much ongoing.
With the huge amount of clean up, repairs, and rebuilding, plus multiple ongoing projects, the time has flown by and yet that day in February now seems rather distant. The disappointment of the delayed April harvest has been countered by anticipation and excitement in the lead up to the October haul.
On the opening day we raised the first oysters from the lines with fingers crossed.
One by one we went through a well-drilled process - open, harvest, clean, implant, and return to the lines along with freshly seeded juveniles. Within the first day it was clear that April delay and extra time was worth the wait.
Over the next 3 weeks we raised 4,500 oysters from the lines, and the results were extraordinary: a 68% rate of return - over 3,000 marketable pearls !!
Not only pearls in great numbers, but pearls with fantastic color and incredible luster.
The October 2016 harvest is - by some margin - our best harvest since we began operations.
We can only guess, but Winston may have blown some good fortune our way in the end by stirring up the mix in the lagoon to generate a healthy spurt of growth similar to that seen landside.
"Always great to harvest.... but then it comes with a bit more work and headaches afterward; grading and deciding what stays and what goes to export. I love these problems!" - Claude Prevost
Around half of the crop has been set aside for the export market with the rest retained for local sales of loose pearls, jewelry and other accessories. Given the popularity of our sneak-peek pictures on our Facebook page we are looking forward to some very good sales !
With similar results for our planned harvests during 2017 we will offset the cyclone losses and recovery costs incurred this year, and with new juvenile stock kicking in we expect the pearl farming aspect of the business to return to growth again in 2018.
So, with our pearl baskets bursting at the seams with color we move towards the end of the year as very happy farmers. Our market ladies are looking much happier too - their stalls are also awash with color once again !
Thanks for visiting - remember to follow our Facebook page for more updates and project news !!
]]>When we began operations 8 years ago we signed a MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) with the traditional owners. Fishing ceased within the farm boundaries in return for compensation, jobs, and training within the local community. An additional benefit is that although fishing grounds are reduced in size local fish stocks increase as a result of the protected area - a great result for communities sourcing fish for food and income from the reefs and oceans.
The long term goal is for communities to gain knowledge of pearl farming processes enabling them to create their own farms in the future should they wish to do so, whilst our own business maintains a minimum impact on their traditional lifestyle.
Four mataqali (Fijian clan or landowning unit) share the benefits of partnership; Viniu, Waisoki, Vunivesi and Lekutu from Bouma District in Taveuni. In total, more than FJ$60,000 has been paid out so far by Civa Fiji Pearls by way of compensation, leases and scholarships.
These benefits and profits are now set to be shared wider subsequent to a new MOU signed this week between Civa Fiji Pearls and the Vanua Trust of Laucala.
The MOU covers the usage of a new 150 hectare area of water for spat collecting and pearl farm expansion. The agreement secures the long term development of our aquaculture ventures here on Taveuni.
“We have been doing pearl oyster spat collecting for the last two years successfully. This project started very slowly with help from the fisheries department but now is growing out by itself. Partnering with Civa Fiji Pearls Ltd who want to develop the resource in a sustainable manner with us is the way forward. They have good knowledge and are willing to share for the long term benefit of all. We are custodian of this resource and we must, for the sake of our children, develop it while protecting it.”
Jone Fifita Rakesa, chairman of the Vanua Trust of Laucala
Spat collecting is the process of collecting natural oyster larvae and rearing them until they are old enough for implanting and pearl production. The spat collecting site secured by the MOU is one of few spots in the Northern Division consistently producing good quality oysters in high enough quantity. As a result Civa Fiji Pearls can operate sustainable spat collection and not deplete natural reserves.
The oysters will be used at Civa Fiji Pearls' Wailoa farm, Taveuni, with a first crop of pearls anticipated in 2019.
All of this is further good news for Civa Fiji Pearls after the damage caused by TC Winston. Our implant shed rebuild is complete and recent pearl harvest quality is excellent. Stay tuned for more news on these and other projects in our pipeline.
Until then, thanks for reading and by all means contact us directly with any queries regarding our unique Fiji pearls.
The Vanua Trust of Laucala is the legal body representing the 3 Yavusa, namely Nasovu, Qaraniya'u and Naqelelevu. Representatives of each Yavusa make up the Vanua Laucala Trust. One of Trusts' roles is to work with investors and developers using Qoliqoli and other resources. The Trust oversees one of the largest Qoliqoli areas in Fiji.
]]>In our last post we described our personal ordeal with Severe Tropical Cyclone Winston and its devastating effect on many parts of Taveuni. Homes and business's suffered major damage, including our own home and the implant shed in Vurevure Bay.
Thankfully we survived intact, and like many others here occupied ourselves with rebuilding and repair programs in an effort to return to business as usual.
Whilst most of the famous dive sites and deeper reefs around Taveuni, Qamea, Matangi and Laucala fared well, other areas did suffer significant damage. Civa Fiji Pearls is committed to preserving and protecting the natural environment - after all it is key to sustaining our business - and we already had an ongoing coral gardening project in place with Makaira Resort, just off shore at Matei.
Now, in association with Matangi Private Island Resort, we are stepping up the scale to give a significant boost to reef recovery.
Coral reefs propagate naturally very slowly. The reefs surrounding our islands were created over the course of thousands of years, yet they are extremely fragile. Natural disasters and climate change take their toll in a relative blink of an eye.
The Makaira project, initiated after the devastation of Cyclone Thomas, can not supply sufficient new coral alone to reseed the reefs pummeled once again by Cyclone Winston.
The project with Matangi will significantly increase new coral output, creating four to five thousand coral seedlings per year.
Along with Matangi and Civa, the project is fully supported by the Vanua Trust of Laucala. Some words from each of the key project sponsors...
Jone Fifita, Chairman of the Vanua Trust of Laucala, representing the Traditional Fishing Rights Owners
“For us at the Vanua Trust of Laucala, the development of our resources must be done in a sustainable manner. Working with Matangi Island Resort is always a great experience for us because their approach is always about long term development. We always feel from them a genuine concern about the environment in which they work. This coral rebuild project is just one other example of their dedication to the environment.”
“When Christene contacted us with this idea, we felt pretty confident that we could help. We have already helped Makaira resort in Taveuni 2 years ago with a similar project and we are still working with them to perfect the process. Now the challenge at Matangi is quite bigger, it will involve growing between 2000 and 2500 new coral seedlings every 6 months to 1-2 kg size before they are replanted in the reef. In three to five years from now, their reef systems will be completely different.”
Despite Cyclone Winston and our recent personal losses, at Civa we are extremely positive about the future with a number of short, medium and long term projects progressing well. The Makaira coral gardening project continues, the larger scale coral gardening project with Matangi is confirmed and progressing, and - as noted by Christene - another joint venture is in the pipeline with Matangi to commence a Giant Clam Hatchery
We have a strong desire to collaborate effectively with other local business's coupled with genuine respect for the environment, respect for local land and fishing rights owners, and respect for the community.
Combining this desire and respect into real world projects promises benefits for all involved, and we are very happy to be where we are now.
We will share more details regarding the Giant Clam Hatchery in a future post, so stay tuned !! Don't forget you can follow us on our Facebook page too for additional photo and status updates in between blog posts.
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Greetings to all of you around the world who have been so kind as to ask about our well-being during and after Severe Tropical Cyclone Winston, one of the strongest cyclones in history that smashed its way through Taveuni and other parts of Fiji on 20th February 2016.
Immediately following the cyclone communications all over the island were severely disrupted, and at this time we are still reinstating our own Wifi internet and mobile services, so sincere apologies from us for being unable to respond individually to all your enquiries.
Most importantly we can confirm that both Danielle, myself, all our staff, and their families are all safe and sound, although somewhat battered after the experience.
The pearl farm under the water is largely intact, however the over-water implant shed was badly damaged and will require some significant work to reinstate it to its former photogenic glory.
From a personal perspective 20th February was a day neither of us wish to experience again. The eye of the storm passed over the southern half of Taveuni, about 30km away from our residence in Matei. Those close to the eye were subject to windspeeds that were a shade shy of 300km/h, 20-30 foot tidal waves along the coastlines, and six inches of rain per hour.
In most properties the bathroom is one of the safest rooms in the house to take shelter during natures fury, and this is where we bunkered down to hopefully see the storm out. Winston, however, had other ideas...
Every part of the house above the main flooring was systematically torn away by a thunderous onslaught. Our refuge in the bathroom became a perilous prison when one of the main support posts for the property crashed through the ceiling and brought the walls down around us. However, we were unable to move to a new place of "safety", wherever that may have been, as the winds exerted so much force on the collapsed walls they could not be moved.
All we could do was pray.
After what seemed an eternity semi-exposed to these unbelievable conditions the wind finally swung around causing a wall to shift enough for us to make an exit. Having narrowly escaped relatively unscathed from the collapsing post that fell directly between us the threat now came from the further disintegration of the property and flying debris - splintered timbers snapped like toothpicks, roofing iron capable of decapitation, and all manner of branches and vegetation ripped from the gardens and surrounding rainforest.
Thankfully the switch in wind direction marked the passing of the eye. After the slow and steady build-up that had begun in the early morning through to the peak intensity in the early afternoon, the back side of the storm passed quite quickly and were able to venture outside and begin assessing the immediate damage.
In short, our home was totally destroyed along with fixtures, fittings and appliances. Most of our personal belongings damaged beyond repair or disappeared never to be found.
For those would be "storm chasers", this is the power of a Category 5 cyclone - a force to be reckoned with and not taken lightly. Around Fiji Tropical Cyclone Winston left at least 43 people dead.
Large parts of the population reside in properties much less robust than ours, and homes such as these that lay in the path of Winston - in some cases entire villages - were wiped off the map. Among this destruction, three of our staff also had their homes completely destroyed.
For the last two weeks our time has been completely consumed by personal recovery, housing recovery, and beginning the business recovery.
Although this episode was highly traumatic for us both we have come through it without physical injury. We have partially renovated and moved to an alternative residential property on the same block of land, replaced essential household items, and our farm stocks are recoverable despite some losses.
Like us, Taveuni as whole is also recovering. The people here are strong and resourceful, supplies are now reaching us, villages and infrastructure are being rebuilt and repaired, resorts and stores are returning to business as usual, the natural landscape will likely transform back to normality at astonishing speed.
Below the water the reefs and ocean life have fared exceptionally well. One great positive for us is that our Boutique in Matei came through Winston with no damage, and our stocks are good.
We still have the most beautiful pearls in the world. We encourage you to visit. Taveuni is open for business. And we are still here.
]]>A pearl farmers' harvest, as for all farmers of this world, is the culmination of many months or years of hard graft each and every day. Initial hopes and aspirations are followed by plans and preparations, seed stock procured and workshops tooled, sweat and tears shed in the fields, mistakes noted and lessons learned, successes celebrated and methods perfected.
A multitude of factors, some known and expected prior to commencing, others blown in unannounced by the winds of good or bad fortune - all contributing to the ultimate reward of the harvest which will determine our present as well as our future.
Our own personal endeavours and the innumerable external influences large and small shape our success or failure.
For the pearl farmer, a successful harvest is defined by good numbers, good shape, good luster, good size and of course, good colours.
Local conditions in Fiji can place limitations on the number of pearls: harvest quantities are generally much lower than other pearl farming regions. At Civa Fiji Pearls our efforts are therefore focused on the quality rather than quantity to produce pearls that really shine when ticking the other boxes.
Having just completed our 2015 harvest we are proud to say that for the first time since our initial harvest in 2010 we have excelled in three of the five key indicators of success - shape, luster and colour, with satisfactory sizes achieved. With continued efforts to positively influence the factors within our control, and a little luck from nature we look forward to improving our numbers and proudly ticking all the boxes for a not too distant future harvest. For 2015 we are more than happy with the most important hallmark of Fijian pearls - colour.
Whilst there is a degree of control over the colour of our pearls during implanting, the ultimate shape is in the hands of nature. Shapes can be broadly split into three types: spherical, symmetrical, and baroque.
Within these three categories there are seven basic shapes.
Spherical includes round or near-round pearls.
Symmetricals come in multitude of shapes but are pleasingly balanced such as ovals, buttons and drops.
The baroque category covers irregularly shaped pearls, or part regular part irregular defined as semi-baroque.
For each basic shape further characteristics may be overlaid, for example rings or circles giving rise to circled rounds, or ringed symmetricals.
Whilst these labels help to a describe the general shape of a pearl, in reality there is huge variety. Unique blends of shape, luster, size and colour give each pearl its individual character.
For a more detailed guide on pearl shapes, grading and quality visit the Pearl Guide
]]>Hacienda La Esmeralda, sold only at auction, could set you back US$350 per pound. Not the bean for the average coffee drinkers' early morning kick start in preparation for the rush hour commute. For the coffee connoisseur, however, it's another story.
Like a rare Burgundy or Beluga caviar - they are luxury treats that come along infrequently, if at all.
So, how does coffee (or these particular coffee beans), or caviar, or wine relate to pearls ? In particular, how does it relate to the oysters that produce the pearls that create the Colours of Fiji ?
The unique characteristics of these coffee beans are born of their origins - the distinctive conditions under which the plants are selected, planted, nurtured, harvested and roasted. The best coffee, much like the best pearls, originate from volcanic locations. Unique varieties or cultivars grown in rich volcanic soils abundant with natural minerals, particular altitudes and levels of rainfall intertwined with seemingly insignificant factors such as surrounding vegetation and wildlife all impart subtle flavours that distinguish these beans from all others.
They can not be reproduced anywhere else on earth.
Fiji Pearls are born of a locally adapted parent oyster and environment combination that cannot be replicated. Our oysters are a specific subspecies found only here.
Scientifically speaking, they are Fijian Margatifera Pinctada Cumingi-Typica Hybrids (see below) - a naturally evolved hybrid species of black-lipped oyster endemic to our waters.
Extensive research over many years by Justin Hunter and his team at J Hunter Pearls has advanced the understanding of oyster specificity enormously in Fiji.
Distinct from and superior in terms of pearl quality to it's cousin, the Tahitian Margatifera Pinctada Cumingi the comparison between Tahitian Black Pearls and Fiji Pearls is akin to comparing Nescafe Instant with Hacienda La Esmeralda, Beaujolais with vintage Bergundy, or Cod Roe with Beluga Caviar; the former being mass produced with everyday quality and availability, and the latter unique and exclusive to a particular producing region and it's local conditions.
In the case of Tahitian Black Pearls the market has been in decline for some time due to overproduction from inferior oysters and a significantly poorer product. Here in Fiji major steps are being taken to ensure our pearl production maintains the highest standards.
J Hunter Pearls of Savusavu, Valili Pearls of Wailevu, and Civa Fiji Pearls of Taveuni - the only three producers of export quality pearls in Fiji - have formed an alliance pooling resources to increase the profile and guarantee the quality of Fiji pearls. A mutually agreed high quality grading system for pearls destined to the export market is a first for pearl farming - worldwide.
In addition there are agreed environmentally friendly farming practices, rural community development programs, staff training and empowerment processes, quality control systems, research data sharing, technology exchange, and a very high quality pearl production system control for export. This system will ensure that only high quality pearls will be exported from these 3 farms, maintaining and increasing the solid reputation of Fiji Pearls in international markets.
“This is a great day for me; this agreement will give me great guidance and great support in growing my farm. It will ensure better profitability for my farm in the long run and better support in developing my exporter skills. I am so pleased with the outcome of today. Quality is the way forward for me. Making great pearls is my best protection against failure.”
Jone Maivalili, Valili Pearls
“Today is the first day of a new era for the Fijian pearl industry. I have been a pearl exporter for almost 10 years and I have witnessed first hand the steady decline of prices on the international markets. Through these difficult times we have maintained a strong reputation abroad by always delivering a unique product. Quality is the only way for us to maintain our profitability. By establishing this common standard of minimal requirements for export on a voluntary basis, we are sending a strong signal to the international markets that we are in it for quality and sustainability. Our buyers will not only buy a quality pearl, they will buy sustainability, rural community development and environment-friendly farm practices.”
Justin Hunter, J Hunter Pearls
“This is an incredible opportunity for us. We will be exporting our first pearls this year after 5 years of strenuous work and investment. Being able to profit from the vast experience of Jone and Justin is so great. By having a common benchmark to abide by, we are joining forces on marketing strategies to be more efficient and strong. It is extremely rare that you see competitors in the same market join forces. This is not about individual farms competing against each other; this is about us, together, being the best in the world.”
Claude Michel Prevost, Civa Fiji Pearls
Hacienda La Esmeralda is a product sold only at auction. Our own product Civa Fiji Pearls are also primarily sold at auction to discerning buyers, however a small percentage are withheld from each harvest for local sales.
As a coffee connoisseur you may not be able to buy an individual coffee bean from the worlds top ten plantations, however for the pearl connoisseur we have single pearls of character that encapsulate the essence of Taveuni's uniqueness.
To experience first-hand the Colours of Fiji and the superior quality of our pearls our resort partners can arrange farm visits and viewings, or feel free to contact us directly with enquiries.
]]>When the oysters reach an age of around 3 years old they go through a process called "nucleation". This provides the seed, or nucleus, for a pearl to grow within the oyster. Whilst this can happen naturally it is such a rare event that in order to farm pearls the process is performed artificially. The nucleus comes courtesy of a mature donor oyster, specifically chosen for the colour of the shell interior - this will determine the eventual colour of the pearl that is produced. Civa pearls are "bead nucleated" - a mother-of-pearl bead is surrounded by the mantle tissue from the donor oyster which is then inserted into the sex organs of the recipient oyster. The new pearl develops around the implanted bead nucleus. One oyster, one nucleus, one pearl. A painstaking and precise process that demands patience, skill and experience.
At Civa we have two technicians: Yoshihiro Kazama and Joshi Matsuda. These masters of their craft have over 60 years of experience between them. They are the best in the world at what they do - implanting oysters with specific and skilfully selected sections of mantle to produce the finest pearls. Each has his own unique style that becomes apparent in the harvest. Yoshi is the creator of a high proportion of round pearls in multiple pastel colors featuring different overtones. Joshi is famous for his unique colors with strong hues.
I came to Fiji in 1998 under a Japan aid program on aquaculture in Fiji to act as a consultant with Fijian Fisheries Department. Then, in 2000, I started working at J Hunter pearls, and 2008 joined Civa Pearls in Taveuni. I could see what Claude and Danielle wanted and what they dreamed of. Many countries nowadays have problems with their pearling industry because of overproduction and low quality. Claude and Danielle did not want to go that way, they wanted to keep it small and beautiful. That’s what convinced me to stay here and work with them to develop the Fijian pearl concept! That is why I have been working with them since day one.
I came in Fiji for the first time in 2002. At the time, I got the phone call from Kazama in Fiji. All he said to me was this: “Matsuda, you come to Fiji because you are the best technician I know of and because Fiji is for you. The boss here only wants to do nice pearls. He does not care about how many, he just wants nice ones!" So I am here now doing fewer pearls but very, very nice pearls.
Combining these styles results in a unique colour palette of pearls specific to Fiji - they are found only here. Yoshi and Joshi are an essential part of the equation at Civa. Their cultural background drives them reliably and consistently through a strict and precise process. They bring a strong sense of continuity to the company. They have a deep desire to produce the one pearl, each implant considered as an individual work of art.
"Quality"
Hand-in-hand with their technical work Yoshi and Joshi are generous in the sharing of their extensive knowledge on many aspects of pearl farming - health and quarantine management, best practices, and pearl grading to mention a few. This ongoing partnership is key to Civa's success; we thank these two Master technicians for their outstanding work and look forward to unveiling more of their stunning creations in the forthcoming 2015 pearl harvest.
Grading Masterclass
Yoshi Kazama will be here on September 28 for a month to assist in the annual harvest of oysters seeded in 2013. He will also implant new oysters to be harvested in 2017.
]]>Initially this cleaning process resulted in the removed coral simply falling to the floor of the lagoon, where it would likely die. A recent collaboration with neighbouring Makaira Resort now puts this previously wasted byproduct of the farm to work - rehabilitating the reefs of Taveuni.
Makaira's Roberta Davis gives us some background on her Coral Gardening project, and explains why this relatively simple technique could make a huge difference to the health and diversity of the local reefs.
Well, in 2010 we had a powerful cyclone heading our way - Cyclone Tomas. We knew the reefs were going to get battered. I was telling our guests to make the most of the reef whilst they had the chance, after the storm it would be unrecognisable and take a long time to recover. And that's exactly what happened. A while later Scott Putnam suggested we try to rehabilitate the reef from a coral nursery - propagating new growth from small pieces of broken coral and then transplanting it into existing reef and rock once it reaches a certain size. We gave it a go and the results were encouraging, and then another storm in 2013 battered the reefs again. The latest initiative began in October 2014. We take the coral removed from Civa's pearl farm during their cleaning process and use it to seed our nursery. After some experimentation with different techniques the nursery is now starting to flourish.
We've tried different methods, and the one we have found simplest is to insert the coral pieces in between the strands of a rope. The rope is anchored to the sea floor by a concrete block, and a float raises it towards the surface. The coral is attached such that the nursery ceiling is about 2 meters below sea level. Creating our garden in this way reduces the number of maintenance dives that need to be done - the ropes can simply be hauled up, the coral cleaned, reattached and returned. The coral has to be periodically cleaned as there is a build up of algae over time. With naturally occurring coral on the sea floor this cleaning is generally done by reef fish, less so on the ropes so we need to lend a hand. With the number of ropes we have now it's a bit like painting the Golden Gate Bridge - start at one end, reach the other and then start again !
Currently about 12 hours per week, but most of the start-up work is now done and the time will reduce - maybe 4 hours a week going forward. In terms of cost - very little. Just ropes, some concrete blocks and bottles or bouys for floats. The coral comes for free. After that it's just time spent in the garden. The simplicity and low cost means this type of project can easily be undertaken by coastal villages around Taveuni and throughout Fiji.
Obviously re-establishment of the reef and the whole ecosystem surrounding it. Firstly its small fish that take shelter, the small fish attract larger fish, we even have octopus setting up home in the concrete block. There has been a significant increase in sea life around the project, this in turn feeds into the surrounding waters. Other parts of the bay look like a desert in comparison to the nursery area. With a thriving fish population and sustainable fishing villages can feed themselves forever - just take what is needed and no more. Another aspect is diving and tourism. Our waters are extremely popular and we should ensure that continues - tourism is a key part of the local economy. Small scale projects such as this could have a huge effect if practised more widely.
Not that I'm aware of, I would like to hear if anyone is. There are other projects going on around Fiji, but they seem more complicated and higher cost compared to ours - cages anchored to sea floor which require more dives and maintenance. We're keeping it simple, and it's working. On the ropes the coral is a lot safer too - Crown of Thorns have a hard time getting to it !
Yes, some. Most have a tight schedule but we have a few who have helped cleaning the ropes and coral. It's an interesting thing to talk about and hopefully people go home with a better understanding.
We're planning another area around the reef drop-off, deeper lines, experimenting with different species, including the soft coral species. We are coming up for our first year now and there will be an increase in "planting" - taking our babies off the ropes and giving them a new home. And also there's just getting the project out there - making people aware and showing how easy it can be and encourage more projects like this around Taveuni. Every coastal village should do it !
Thankyou Roberta !!
We will have regular updates from the coral gardening project at Makaira in future blog posts, and we'd love to hear from anyone doing similar projects - just use the comments section at the bottom of the page to send us your thoughts.