Bill Johnston | University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia (original) (raw)

Papers by Bill Johnston

Aquaculture Reports, 2020

Mabé pearl culture is an increasingly important rural livelihood in south Pacific countries as it... more Mabé pearl culture is an increasingly important rural livelihood in south Pacific countries as it offers a low-cost, low-tech alternative to round pearl culture. Mabé pearl production can be achieved by local people with appropriate training, and the products offer further livelihood opportunities through value-adding and local production of jewellery and handicraft items. The Kingdom of Tonga is unique among south Pacific pearl producing countries in focusing primarily on mabé pearl, not round pearl, culture using the winged pearl oyster, Pteria penguin. The Tongan mabé pearl sector has developed rapidly over recent years and is sustained by routine hatchery production of spat and recently improved pearl culture methods. This study determined establishment and operational costs of a subsistence-level mabé pearl farm in Tonga and developed an economic model to assess potential profitability of such operations. The representative mabé pearl farm modelled in this study targeted annual mabé pearl production from 100 oysters. Estimated capital cost (US dollars; USD) was USD 2,027 and major production costs were labour (29%), marketing (24%), and capital purchase and replacement (16%). Annual production of 231 saleable mabé pearls generated a net present value (NPV) of USD 107,101. The modified internal rate of return (MIRR) and benefit-cost ratio of the modelled mabé pearl farm were 20.46% and 4.86, respectively, with a payback period of 4 years. Given the average annual income in Tonga is USD 4,020, the modelled mabé pearl farm offers significant economic opportunity (USD 9,338 annual profit after all costs, including owner/operator wages) and supports additional socioeconomic benefits for rural communities involved in downstream activities relating to handicraft and jewellery production, and tourism. The findings of this study assist stakeholder understanding of costs, risks and production levels required for profitable mabé pearl production.

Journal of the World Aquaculture Society, 2019

The black-lip pearl oyster, Pinctada margaritifera, used for round pearl production in Polynesia,... more The black-lip pearl oyster, Pinctada margaritifera, used for round pearl production in Polynesia, is generally cultured using "ear-hanging" where they are attached to a rope to form "chaplets." In other countries, pearl oysters are cultured using panel (pocket) nets that are more expensive than chaplets but afford more protection to cultured oysters. Prior research has shown panel nets produce pearls of higher quality and value, potentially generating higher profits. This study used cost-benefit analysis to compare pearl production using chapletbased and panel net-based culture methods. Whole farm data, including gross revenues and annual production costs, fixed and variable, were analyzed. Average production cost per pearl using panel netbased culture was USD 22.47 and for chaplet-based culture was USD 21.55. However, use of panel nets saved around 3,430 hr (USD 6,860) of labor a year, offsetting the greater capital investment. A chaplet-based pearl farm generated USD 65,738 in annual profits compared to USD 88,774 for a panel net-based farm. Positive cash flow was achieved 1 year earlier (Year 7) for the panel net-based farm. This is the first economic analysis of different pearl culture methods for P. margaritifera and evidence of profitability will support further development of the black-lip pearl industry in the Indo-Pacific region.

The market for live reef fi sh for food (LRFF) is longstanding in Southeast Asia, with demand for... more The market for live reef fi sh for food (LRFF) is longstanding in Southeast Asia, with demand for live fi sh concentrated in Hong Kong and southern China. The total regional trade in LRFF is considered to be around 30,000 tonnes per year with an estimated 15–20,000 tonnes of this going into Hong Kong (Sadovy et al., 2004). More than 20 countries in Southeast Asia and the Pacifi c supply fi sh to this market using a variety of capture techniques and transport technologies.

Market chain analysis can provide information on distribution of costs and profits to intermediar... more Market chain analysis can provide information on distribution of costs and profits to intermediaries and identify concentrations of market power. This paper explores market chain issues for the live reef food fish trade, a highvalue export fishery involving nearly 20 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, with demand centred in Hong Kong. The characteristics of the trade mean the market chain is more extended than most seafood chains. With supply dominated by artisanal fishers in developing countries, there are concerns that gains are being unevenly distributed along the chain. This paper describes the market chain for live reef fish and identifies key cost, revenue and risk components that may affect the distribution of value along the chain.

Aquaculture, 2019

This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the ad... more This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the addition of a cover page and metadata, and formatting for readability, but it is not yet the definitive version of record. This version will undergo additional copyediting, typesetting and review before it is published in its final form, but we are providing this version to give early visibility of the article. Please note that, during the production process, errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.

Aquaculture Reports, 2020

Mabé pearl culture is an increasingly important rural livelihood in south Pacific countries as it... more Mabé pearl culture is an increasingly important rural livelihood in south Pacific countries as it offers a low-cost, low-tech alternative to round pearl culture. Mabé pearl production can be achieved by local people with appropriate training, and the products offer further livelihood opportunities through value-adding and local production of jewellery and handicraft items. The Kingdom of Tonga is unique among south Pacific pearl producing countries in focusing primarily on mabé pearl, not round pearl, culture using the winged pearl oyster, Pteria penguin. The Tongan mabé pearl sector has developed rapidly over recent years and is sustained by routine hatchery production of spat and recently improved pearl culture methods. This study determined establishment and operational costs of a subsistence-level mabé pearl farm in Tonga and developed an economic model to assess potential profitability of such operations. The representative mabé pearl farm modelled in this study targeted annual mabé pearl production from 100 oysters. Estimated capital cost (US dollars; USD) was USD 2,027 and major production costs were labour (29%), marketing (24%), and capital purchase and replacement (16%). Annual production of 231 saleable mabé pearls generated a net present value (NPV) of USD 107,101. The modified internal rate of return (MIRR) and benefit-cost ratio of the modelled mabé pearl farm were 20.46% and 4.86, respectively, with a payback period of 4 years. Given the average annual income in Tonga is USD 4,020, the modelled mabé pearl farm offers significant economic opportunity (USD 9,338 annual profit after all costs, including owner/operator wages) and supports additional socioeconomic benefits for rural communities involved in downstream activities relating to handicraft and jewellery production, and tourism. The findings of this study assist stakeholder understanding of costs, risks and production levels required for profitable mabé pearl production.

Journal of the World Aquaculture Society, 2019

The black-lip pearl oyster, Pinctada margaritifera, used for round pearl production in Polynesia,... more The black-lip pearl oyster, Pinctada margaritifera, used for round pearl production in Polynesia, is generally cultured using "ear-hanging" where they are attached to a rope to form "chaplets." In other countries, pearl oysters are cultured using panel (pocket) nets that are more expensive than chaplets but afford more protection to cultured oysters. Prior research has shown panel nets produce pearls of higher quality and value, potentially generating higher profits. This study used cost-benefit analysis to compare pearl production using chapletbased and panel net-based culture methods. Whole farm data, including gross revenues and annual production costs, fixed and variable, were analyzed. Average production cost per pearl using panel netbased culture was USD 22.47 and for chaplet-based culture was USD 21.55. However, use of panel nets saved around 3,430 hr (USD 6,860) of labor a year, offsetting the greater capital investment. A chaplet-based pearl farm generated USD 65,738 in annual profits compared to USD 88,774 for a panel net-based farm. Positive cash flow was achieved 1 year earlier (Year 7) for the panel net-based farm. This is the first economic analysis of different pearl culture methods for P. margaritifera and evidence of profitability will support further development of the black-lip pearl industry in the Indo-Pacific region.

The market for live reef fi sh for food (LRFF) is longstanding in Southeast Asia, with demand for... more The market for live reef fi sh for food (LRFF) is longstanding in Southeast Asia, with demand for live fi sh concentrated in Hong Kong and southern China. The total regional trade in LRFF is considered to be around 30,000 tonnes per year with an estimated 15–20,000 tonnes of this going into Hong Kong (Sadovy et al., 2004). More than 20 countries in Southeast Asia and the Pacifi c supply fi sh to this market using a variety of capture techniques and transport technologies.

Market chain analysis can provide information on distribution of costs and profits to intermediar... more Market chain analysis can provide information on distribution of costs and profits to intermediaries and identify concentrations of market power. This paper explores market chain issues for the live reef food fish trade, a highvalue export fishery involving nearly 20 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, with demand centred in Hong Kong. The characteristics of the trade mean the market chain is more extended than most seafood chains. With supply dominated by artisanal fishers in developing countries, there are concerns that gains are being unevenly distributed along the chain. This paper describes the market chain for live reef fish and identifies key cost, revenue and risk components that may affect the distribution of value along the chain.

Aquaculture, 2019

This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the ad... more This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the addition of a cover page and metadata, and formatting for readability, but it is not yet the definitive version of record. This version will undergo additional copyediting, typesetting and review before it is published in its final form, but we are providing this version to give early visibility of the article. Please note that, during the production process, errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.