| Hi,
It might be a bit difficult to get an internship with a pearl farm since pearl farm people will tend to be suspicious regarding security risks to their products or yourselves (physical security) as well as unwanted technology transfers. It's a very high value industry and it would probably be easier if you intern at a start-up farm such as the one in brazil. You might also consider contacting the bureau of fisheries and aquatic resources in your country of choice since they would have a lot of data you might need. The only risk there is that you won't get an objective picture especially since in the 3rd world, I'm ashamed to say, the people in seats of government tend to have their own interests in the development and marketing of upstart pearl famrs and they are going to bash and say the nastiest things about the big pearl farms(sharing from personal experience). IN fact, I was trying to source pearls from this local pearl farm down south and the bureau lady asked if i had $1million to invest and if not, we had nothing to talk about. She bashed the government about not supporting the pearl industry and said that she was helping the industry in her personal capacity (yeah right) which translated means that she wants to control all pearls sold by the upstart pearl farm(choking the pearl farmer's output if she doesn't get a cut i guess) and since she also controls the permits to export, she is squeezing the exporters unless she gets a cut, plus she won't share information unless she gets anything out of the whole endeavor. Aya yay yay yay!!!!!!! So much corruption down here, it's crazy. The Bureau people are going to squeeze the life out of you if you let them, so go at it slowly. You will be met with a lot of suspicion and false help. THey will of course exaggerate any environmental effects depending on the favours that pearl farms give them.
Once again, the brazilian guy seems very open and honest to help you guys so go for it.  |