In order to ensure benefits to the local economy, the Raja Ampat

regency government developed a tourism entrance fee system in 2007 that requires every guest visiting the regency to pay Rp. 500,000 (approximately USD $55) for a waterproof tag valid for the calendar year. Thirty percent of the tag revenues are utilized by the government for tourism PI3K inhibitor management, while 70% fund conservation and community development programs in all 135 villages of Raja Ampat. Since its inception, the fee system has accrued nearly USD $1,000,000 and has funded a nutrition program for pregnant and nursing mothers and MPA enforcement and turtle rookery guarding programs. Kaimana Regency and the Cendrawasih Bay National Park have recently commenced their own entrance fee systems. The Raja Ampat government enacted legislation in July 2011 to establish the first marine tourism licensing

system in Indonesia, setting an upper limit of 40 liveaboard dive vessel and 20 dive resort licenses for the regency while also stipulating strong requirements for environmentally-sensitive construction of resorts and employment of local community members in tourism operations. Both the West Papua provincial government and the Raja Ampat regency Selleck Alectinib government have now explicitly recognized marine tourism as one of the main sectors for economic development of the regency, and increasingly this sector is providing benefits to local communities not only through entrance fee revenues, but also through direct employment in resorts and on dive vessels as well as through providing important markets for sale of handicrafts and Gemcitabine molecular weight of fish, fruits and vegetables harvested by community members. The largest mariculture industry in the BHS is pearl oyster farming. There are currently two large pearl farms in Kaimana and seven pearl farms in Raja Ampat. The pearl farms focus exclusively on silver and gold pearls from the oyster Pinctada maxima. The industry operates in sheltered bays with unpolluted

waters, low sedimentation, high dissolved nutrient levels, good water exchange and relatively stable cool water temperatures. Pearl farming companies enter into private lease agreements with local Papuan communities over large areas of water, generally have low environmental impact and can provide strong socioeconomic benefits for local communities. Cendana Indopearls for example, employs around 200 staff, provides training and livelihoods for many members of the community, and supplies electricity, transportation, medical services and schooling for the two local communities in Raja Ampat with whom they have their lease agreements. While the overall contribution of pearl farms to the local economy is not known, it is estimated that Cendana Indopearls invests nearly USD $3 million per annum into the local economy in the form of operational costs, salaries, rents, royalties and taxes (J. Taylor, personal communication).