Integrated Coastal Fisheries Management Project Country Assignment Report

MANAGEMENT OF COASTAL FISHERIES IN MACUATA AND BUA PROVINCES,

South Pacific Commission Noumea, New Caledonia Management of Coastal Fisheries in Macuata and Bua Provinces, Vanua Levu, Fiji

by

E. Ledua1, S. Matoto1, A. Sesewa2, Y. Siassi2,1.D. Raj2, J. Korovulavula2, P. Dalzell1, and T.J.H. Adams1

K Integrated Coastal Fisheries Management Project (ICFMaP), South Pacific Commission, BP D5, Noumea, New Caledonia

2. Fisheries Division, PO BOX 358, , Fiji,

South Pacific Commission Noumea, New Caledonia Management of Coastal Fisheries in Macuata and Bua Provinces, Vanua Levu, Fiji

by

E. Ledua, S. Matoto, A. Sesewa, Y. Siassi, I.D. Raj, J. Korovulavula, P. Dalzell, and T.J.H. Adams

INTRODUCTION.

The Macuata and Bua Provinces form part of the northeast corner of Vanua Levu, the second largest island in the Fiji Islands. The northeastern coast of Vanua Levu is characterised by a large barrier reef lagoon which extends for about 200 km along the coast of both Macuata and Bua Provinces (Figure 1). This large area of sheltered water is recognised as one of the premier coastal fishing grounds in Fiji. Fish produced from the Macuata-Bua fishing grounds are not only important for the domestic markets in the two provinces, but are one of the chief sources of fresh fish for the capital city Suva on the main island of .

During the 1980s a commercial gillnet fishery developed in the Macuata-Bua area, with fishermen operating not only from the principal town in the region, , but also from Suva and other ports on Viti Levu such as . The scale of fishing operations was such however, that by the early 1990s, concern from local villagers in the Macuata-Bua Provinces led to the imposition of a ban through the traditional authority of the local chiefs in 1991.

Five years after this ban, annecdotal information suggested that nearshore fisheries in the Macuata-Bua area had improved markedly and the local chiefs asked the Fiji Fisheries Division about whether they should once again permit commercial gillnet fishing. Fiji Fisheries in turn requested the services of the South Pacific Commission's Coastal Fisheries Programme to assist in conducting information on commercial and subsistence fisheries in the Macuata-Bua region and to develop a management plan that addressed the issue of commercial gillnetting in this area. This report contains the results of this management study which was conducted by Fiji Fisheries Division and Commission between February and March 1996.

STUDY SITE

The main town of northeastern Vanua Levu is Labasa, Fiji's third largest city, with a population in excess of20,000 people. The majority of the people living in Labasa are Indian descent, while the majority of the population in the rural areas of Macuata and are Fijians. According to recent census figures, there are 54 villages in Bua and 106 villages in Macuata, with populations of 8372 and 10,376 people respectively. Labasa is built on a delta where three rivers enter the sea and is the centre of the sugar industry on Vanua Levu, with forestry and fisheries being the second and third most important economic activities in the area. Much of the interior of Vanua Levu is mountainous rising to a maximum elevation of about 1000 m. Most of the flat lowland areas are found in the hinterland of the northeast coast and are rich agricultural lands suited to intensive sugarcane cultivation. The average annual rainfall of the area around Labasa is between 2000-2,500 mm/yr, with a six month wet season extending between November to April, during which 80 % of the annual rainfall is precipitated. There is little 2 temperature variation throughout the year with monthly temperatures ranging from 24 to 27 °C, and a mean of 25.6 °C.

The Labasa Delta, which extends over 1473 ha in area, is the formed from the combined alluvial fans of the Labasa, Qawa and Wailevu Rivers, which drain the Labasa Plain and adjacent foothills. The combined annual discharge of the rivers is estimated at about 1,063 million cubic meters. Mangrove forests cover much of the delta and the seasonal dry climate has resulted in the formation of hyper saline mudflats with adjacent stunted mangroves in the less well drained areas (Scott 1993). Common mangrove species in the delta include Rhizophora samoensis, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza and the hybrid Rhizophora x selala. Surface salinity and temperature profiles were taken during the course of this study and show the

The freshwaters of the Labasa Delta discharge into the extensive lagoon formed between the barrier reef, the Great Sea Reef, and the coast of Vanua Levu. The Great Sea Reef originates at Udu Point at the northern tip of Vanua Levu and gradually extends further offshore in a southwestern direction to a point 40 km immediately north of Yadua Island (Figure 1). Coral reefs are abundant within the lagoon and are only absent in the proximity of substantial freshwater discharge from the Labsa Delta and other delta systems such as the mouths of the Dreketi and Sarowaqa Rivers in Bua Province. The total area of the lagoon is about 3,800 km2 and the total area of coral reefs within the lagoon amount to about 475 km2. The Great Sea Reef extends over distance of about 220 km and an area of coral of about 227 km2 (reef and lagoon areas quoted here were determined by planimetery from Department of Lands and Survey charts).

The influx of fresh water into the lagoon clearly will have an influence on the ecology of nearshore areas and on the productivity of the fishing grounds within the lagoon area. Figure 2 shows the results of two temperature and salinity profiles recorded from the mouth of the Labasa River to the Great Sea Reef, and a shorter profile at the Sasa fishing ground, some 17 km to the west of the river mouth. As might be expected, the waters in the immediate vicinity of the Labasa River have very low salinities (5-7 ppt), but these increase rapidly within the next 5 km to 27 ppt and the dilution effect with distance increases gradually, until at the Great Sea Reef, salinities are in the vicinity of 35-26 ppt. Away from the river mouth,solenoids near shore suggest only slight dilution (33 ppt), rising rapidly to 35 ppt within 5 km of the shore. Differences between sea surface temperatures throughout the lagoon are minimal with an average of around 29 to 30 °C, although the river waters entering the sea in the Labasa Delta are about four degrees cooler.

METHODS

This survey comprised a series of experimental fishing observations using gillnets in the Macuata area, and observations on commercial and subsistence catches in the same location. Other sources of information on commercial landings in Labasa compiled by the Fiji Fisheries Division were also made available for inclusion in this report.

Gillnet fishing was conducted at four sites in , namely Macuata, Sasa, Mali and in the vicinity of the Labasa river mouth (Figure 1). Macuata, Mali and Sasa were relatively similar locations, adjacent to mangrove fringed islands and shore lines, with rock, rubble and sandy sea beds with occasional sea grass areas. The Labasa river site was a very different habitat 3 with a strongly estuarine environment, fishing over silt and mud sea beds in proximity to mangroves. Fishing was conducted with 3 large nets of 2" 3" and 4" stretched mesh. Initially it was planned that each net would be 450 m in total length, but with an 75 % hanging ratio reducing this to 337 m. Unfortunately, for reasons beyond our control, the 4" net used at Macuata, Sasa and Mali was only 300 m in length and with a hanging ratio of 75 % reducing this to 225 m. During the last gillnet fishing operations in the Labasa estuary the 4M net was increased to 400 m and with a hanging ratio of 80 % had a total length similar to the 2" and 3" nets.

The gillnets were joined in one continuous line of netting when set in the lagoon. The nets were deployed at the high tide and retrieved at the low tide mark or a soak of six hours duration. As only one set of gear was available, only two sets per 24 hour period were possible. Fishing activities were conducted over a one month period, with the period between early Monday morning to early Thursday morning spent fishing. This meant that it was usually possible to accomplish 6 gillnet sets per week for each mesh size, except during the initial operations in the Macuata area, where fishing commenced on a Monday afternoon. Fishing operations were conducted from the fisheries vessel Gonedau, using a fibreglass skiff to set the nets. A total of 891 kg of fish were caught during this survey, with equal contributions from the 2" and 3" nets and a slightly larger amount caught by the 4" net (Table 1). The largest amount of fish was caught in the Sasa fishing grounds (Table 1), but the greatest number of fishes was taken in the Labasa River estuary.

Catches from each mesh size were sorted separately into numbered buckets so as to obtain information on mesh selectivity. On board the Gonedau the catch from a given mesh size was recorded, with each fish identified to the species taxon, the weight recorded to the nearest 5 g and the fork or total length of each specimen recorded to the nearest millimeter. Ancillary information collected during fishing operations included noting the bottom type on which the gillnets were set and collection of salinity and temperature data to establish the profiles shown in Figure 2. Salinities were collected using a hand-held refractometer and temperatures with a mercury thermometer.

Collection of commercial catch and fishing effort data was conducted at landing sites, fish retailers and at the market in Labasa. Most commercial catches were usually recorded in a receipt book and these figures could be obtained directly from a fish dealer of boat operator. Most persons interviewed usually knew the number of days a commercial vessel had been fishing and could estimate the number of hours per day. Information on the catch composition was often variable, due to the catches usually being grouped by value rather than in family groups. Where a clear breakdown of catch was available then this was recorded, otherwise the dominant species or species groups in the catch were noted.

Information on subsistence catches was in villages around the four fishing grounds were recorded in a similar manner to the commercial catch data. An enumeration team would visit a village or group of villages on a Thursday afternoon to speak with the chief and the villagers and obtain general information on fishing conditions, fishing methods and perceptions regarding the gillnet ban and whether this had produced a noticeable improvement in subsistence catches. The sampling would alert the villagers to their desire to record subsistence catches as they were landed into the village and then return on Friday to Saturday morning to make recordings. 4

COMMERCIAL AND SUBSISTENCE FISHERIES IN THE MACUATA-BUA AREA

Most of the commercially landed fish in the Macuata-Bua area is caught with handlines as commercial deployment of gillnets is now banned. A small amount of commercial netting is allowed in the Labasa estuary and the balance of commercial landings come from spearfishing by fishermen on Mali Island. The ban on commercial gillnet fishing in 1990 forces fishing operators based in Labasa to switch from netting to line fishing. Both gillnetting and line fishing are conducted from the same fishing platform, a 28 ft (8.5 m) wood and fibreglass fishing launches powered by a 20 or 23 hp Yanmar diesel engine. These launches were built locally in Fiji under the auspices of an FAO boat building project.

A dory equipped for gillnet fishing would typically have a crew of 4 fishermen, including the vessel skipper and use two punts from which the nets were set and hauled. Fishing would usually be conducted over a five day period in the near coastal waters of Macuata and Bua Provinces, with expected catches of between 300-500 kg. Vessels would normally carry 500 kg of ice to deal with this catch volume and would employ up to 9 gillnets of up to 450 m in total length.

When the gillnet ban took effect the fishing community in Labasa switched to handline fishing on the inner reef slope and in the passages of the Great Sea Reef. Fishing trips last for between 7-8 days and catches range typically from 200-500 kg/trip. There are usually 2-3 crew on a handline vessel, including the captain. The vessels are not equipped with handreels and the majority of the catch comes from waters of about 40 m in depth, although some fishermen fish deeper waters (80-300m) to catch large eteline snappers. The preferred bait is sardine which is caught locally using small mesh gillnets and lift nets on schools aggregated at night using lamps. If vessels are reasonably well maintained and do not suffer any major breakdowns, the they should average about 30 trips per year.

Most crews on the commercial handline fleet are employed by the vessel owner, some of whom are also dealers, buying and selling fish. The vessel owner is responsible for the maintenance of the launch and must supply fuel, ice and rations for each trip. Fuel costs for a trip amount to between 230 and 250 F$, which includes 80-90 F$ for diesel fuel (need volume in liters), 55 F$ for 500 kg of ice, with the balance made of rations, gas for cooking, cigarettes etc. Crew are paid 0.5 F$/kg of the catch, with the captain of the vessel receiving an extra 0.2 F$/kg. If the vessel achieves a minimum target of 300 kg per trip then on every 5th trip, the captain receives the full profit from the sale of the fish, after having paid the crews wages and reimbursed the vessel owner for the provisioning costs. It is generally acknowledged that fishing performance by a crew improves markedly during the captain's trip.

Maintenance costs of the diesel launches are thought to amount to about 2000 F$ per year, based on detailed records from one fishing operator. The vessels need to be painted about four times per year costing about 200 F$ each time for labour and paint. Common items needing replacing during the year include fuel pipes, injector, oil and fuel filters, exhaust hoses, exhaust manifold and impellers. A common problem with Yanmar engines is the water pump, as the impeller housing wears out and the entire water pump needs replacing at a cost of about 1000 F$. Every five years, the engine needs a major overhaul to replace bearings, piston rings and gasket The 5 cost of an new engine is about 3000 F$, while a brand new fishing vessel will cost in the region of about 17,500 F$.

Most of the handline catch is marketed in Labasa, although some vessels are increasingly disposing of catches in Lautoka, where prices are generally higher (3.50-3.80 F$/kg vs 2.00 F$/kg). Only about 10 per cent of the catch is sold in the general produce market in Labasa, with most of the volume sold either in retail outlets, or sent by road and ferry to Suva. There are two major fishing operators in Labasa who between them operate a total of around 36 vessels and who both ship large volumes of fish to Suva each week. The fish are transported on ice in large ice boxes mounted on the back of trucks. The trucks are transported via ferries to Viti Levu where the fish are sold to retailers, restaurants and hotels, mainly in the capital. Both operators export between 3-4 t/week to Suva, which represents about 40 per cent of the commercial landings in Labasa.

Nine villages were visited in the Macuata, Sasa and Mali areas during this survey to obtain anecdotal information on subsistence catches and fishing methods as well as to make direct observations on subsistence landings. According to villagers questioned in the informal atmosphere around the kava bowl, handline fishing was the commonest fishing method employed by villagers to make subsistence catches, followed by spear fishing. Spearing is done mainly with a short steel spear and elastic band. Reef gleaning is also common using knives, hand spears and hand-nets at low tide on the reef flats. Gleaning is an activity mainly dominated by women.

Fishing is not conducted during periods of bad weather, especially when winds reach 30 knots or more and villagers must rely on canned meat and fish for food. Gillnet fishing is still practiced by villagers, but usually only when there is a need for a large volume of fish for a village function, and then only with the permission of the chief. When there is a village function, fishing increases markedly, with villagers fishing throughout the day and possibly spending the night on an island. On overnight fishing trips fish are smoked on uninhabited islands for preservation, as ice is usually not available. Subsistence fishers in the Mali, Macuata and Sasa areas usually go fishing at low tide or on the incoming tide. Fish densities were reported to be higher on the flood tide, with the best catches experienced on early morning and late afternoon tides.

Gillnetting for large volumes of fish for subsistence purposes is conducted in Macuata, Mali and Sasa on average about 10 time per year in each location. Villagers reported that gillnetting is most effective when the waters are murky, during rainy periods, when the water is warm and at night. Night catches were reported to be double or triple the size of day time catches. Mesh size of 2" and 3" are preferred by villagers for gillnet fishing, varying in length between 40-300 m. Most of the fishers encountered in this survey said that as a result of the commercial gillnet ban in 1990, there has been a substantial increase in subsistence catches over the past five years. One village, Nakawaga on Mali island reported that large schools of mullet and mackerel (Rastrelliger brachysoma) were found close to the village. There was no longer any need to travel, as in the past, for a considerable distance away from the villages to catch fish as stocks of fishes depleted by commercial gillnet fishing are abundant again. Further, fishermen are able to spend shorter hours fishing to achieve a reasonable catch. 6

RESULTS

Gillnet fishing

Catch rates

If the gillnet catches were all made with standard size nets then the simplest expression of catch rate would be catch per set, as the soak times were all a uniform six hours. However, to account for the smaller 4" nets deployed at Macuata, Mali and Sasa, catch rates or catch per unit of effort (CPUE) are given here as grams per meter of net (g/m net). A summary of the average CPUE by location, mesh size and day or night soaks is given in Table 2 and in Figures 3 and 4. At the three reef/mangrove areas, Macuata, Mali and Sasa, the pattern of catch rates in the reef/mangrove areas was very similar with increasing catch rates with mesh size and with the highest overall catch of just over 93 g/m net at Sasa (Fig 3). By contrast, the smaller 2M mesh size produced the highest catch rates in the Labasa estuary.

Differences between day and night catches are shown in Figure 4. In the reef/mangrove areas night time catch rates were markedly higher at Macuata and Sasa, while the same trend was also observed at Mali but the differences were less marked. This was not the case at the Labasa estuary, where only nighttime CPUE by 2" nets was higher than day time CPUE, with lower CPUEs experienced at night with both the 3" and 4" nets.

It is not possible to determine from these data how significant are the differences in CPUE between location and time of day, given that each average represents only 5 or 6 observations. As the reef7mangrove catches came from very similar habitats, these were pooled by mesh size to increase sample size (N = 17) and hence generate confidence limits for mean day, night and total CPUE. The average and 95 % confidence intervals for 2", 3" and 4" nets are shown in Figure 5. The average day and night catch rates for 2" nets were significantly different at the 95 per cent confidence interval (p = 0.0466), but those for 3" and 4" nets were not, with p values of 0.0932 and 0.0644 respectively. However, the p values for the 3" and 4" nets are not greatly different from the 95 per cent level of significance and are probably a consequence of the small s^ple size and concomittant large variances. The differences betwwen the average total catch rates for the three mesh size were clearly not significant, however, with p values ranging from 0.24 to 0.79.

Catch composition

0 A total of 2519 fish weighing about 890 kg were caught by gillnetting. This comprised a total of 136 reef and estuarine species contained in 38 families. The catch composition for each location is given in Tables 3 to 6. Estuarine species dominated the gillnet catches in the Labsas a river mouth, with the landings by weight dominated by the false trevally (Lactaridae), threadfins (Polynemeidae), mullets (Mugilidae) and snappers (Lutjanidae). Other families characteristic of estuarine and soft bottom habitats such as the ponyfish (Leiognathidae), milkfish (Chanidae) and cutlassfish (Trichiuridae) also contributed to between 1-4 per cent of catches. Catches from the reef/mangrove habitats of Macuata, Mali and Sasa, were highly variable, and comprised a mixture of fishes associated with coral reefs and those found in estuaries and in and 7 around mangroves. Catches at Mali were dominated principally by mullets, milkfish, reef sharks (Carcharhindae), mackerels (Scombridae) and jacks (Carangidae). Snappers, jacks, mullet, rabbitfish (Siganidae) and mackerels dominated catches at Macuata, while reef sharks, snappers, emperors (Lethrinidae), jacks and rabbitfish (Siganidae) were most abundant and Sasa. Of the ten most abundant families at the three reef/mangrove sites, five families were common to each location, namely: Carangidae, Lethrinidae, Lutjanidae, Mugilidae and Scombridae.

Differences were also noted between catches made during the day and at night and between the different mesh sizes employed at each location. As with the CPUE data, the catch composition for the three reef7mangrove areas has been pooled to give an overall comparison between day- night and mesh size influences on catch composition, and to simplify comparisons between the these areas and the catches in the Labasa river mouth. Sharks and rays dominated the catches by weight of all mesh sizes, and formed over 50 per cent of landings from the 4" nets (Table 7). Snappers, emperors, jacks and mullets were also among the most abundant species at all mesh sizes. Mackerels which were co-dominant in catches from 3" nets, and amongst the most abundant species in the 2" nets were rarely caught in the 4" nets. The 2M nets set in the Labasa river mouth caught predominantly threadfins, mullet, goat fish, halfbeaks (Hemiramphidae) and false trevallies (Table 8). Catches in the 3" and 4" nets were dominated by false trevallies, snappers and mullets. Few threadfins were caught in the 3" nets while these species were commonly taken in the 4" nets. Other common features of both the 3" and 4" nets were the jacks, emperors and juvenile hammerhead sharks (Sphyrnidae).

About one third of the night catch weight at Macuata, Sasi and Mali, the three reef/mangrove sites, was formed by sharks, followed by snappers, mackerel, goatfish and emperors (Table 9). Sharks were also one of the dominant features of day time catches, but day time sets took greater amounts of jacks, milkfish and mullet, with emperors contributing a similar proportion as in the night catches. The principle feature of day time catches were jacks, milkfish, mullet, sharks and emperors. In the Labasa estuary night catches with gillnets caught mainly threadfins, false trevallies, mullets, pony fish, and juvenile hammer head sharks (Table 10). Daytime catches also contained substantial amounts of threadfins, false trevallies and mullets, but also greater amounts of snappers and goatfish.

Gillnet selectivity

The separation and recording of catches by mesh size during this survey permitted investigation of the selection effects of 2" 3" and 4" nets fishing in reef and estuarine areas of Fiji. The total; grouped length frequencies for all species by mesh size (minus large sharks) are shown in Figure 6, while length frequencies for individual species by mesh size are shown in Figure 7. Clearly not all species were caught in sufficient numbers at each mesh size to make comparisons, however, enough data were available to investigate selection effects on 10 species which were common in the catch.

All nets caught a similar range of sizes, but 2" mesh nets caught substantially smaller fish, with most of the catch confined to species between 120 and 240 mm and a modal length of around 160 mm. The majority of the 3" and 4" catches were in the 200 to 340 mm range and modal lengths around the 260 mm size class. The selective effects of the different mesh sizes are well 8 demonstrated by the length distributions for the individual species (Figure 7). The length distributions for some species such as Valamugil seheli, Lethrinus ramak and Lutjanus fulvus show strong separation between adjacent mesh sizes, while those of Rastrelliger brachysoma and Monodactylus argentus demonstrate little selectivity.

Three species, Leiognathus facsiatus, Lactarius lactarins and Caranx papuensis were caught in sufficient quantities by all three mesh sizes. The length distributions for C. papuensis show clear modal separations between the mesh sizes, with modes for 2", 3" and 4" nets at 140 mm, 200 mm ans 320 mm respectively. Separation of the length distributions for L. lactarius and L. facsiatus is not so clear. The length frequenciesfo r the 2f mesh catches are reasonably distinct, particularly for L. fasciatus, but the 3" and 4" distributions overlap each other substantially. The length distributions for the threadfin, Polydactylus sexfilis, were not from 2" and 4" nets, the 3" nets taking very few of this species. Despite the relatively large differences in mesh size, the two distributions showed considerable overlaps, with the modal lengths being very close together.

Length weight equations

This survey presented an opportunity to sample a wide variety of coastal fish species about which very little is known from Fijian waters. The relationship between fish length (L) and weight (W) normally takes the form of an exponential curve where:

W = aLb which can be conveniently linearised in the form:

In W = a + InLb

The coefficients of the length-weight equation for the various species are given in Table 11 where length is in millimeters and weight in grams.

Commercial fishing data

During the period of this survey 52 records were made of commercial handline fishing vessels fishing on the Great Sea Reef and landing their catch into Labasa, and a further 9 records from commercial spearfishing around Mali Island. Catches from handline fishing varied from 12-500 kg, the large variation in catch being due to, bad weather in February which forced some vessels back to port. Trip length ranged from 1 to 7 days, with an average time at sea of 4 days, which is thought to be shorter than usual, due to the bad weather during the survey period. The average time spent fishingeac h day ranged from 5-20 hours with a mean of 10.7 hours. The average catch was 262.7 kg (95 % cl ± 42 kg) and the average catch rate ranged between 0.25 to 7.79 kg/line- hr, with a mean of 2.49 kg/line-hr (± 0.48 kg/line-hr).

The volume of data permitted a simple comparison between catch rates on the Macuata and Bua sections of the Great Sea Reef. This is of interest since some fishermen suggested that it is necessary these days to further offshore to obtain reasonable catches of bottom fish on Reef. A comparison of mean catch rates from the Macuata and Bua sections of the reef is shown in Table 9

12. The average CPUE for Macuata is actually higher than that from Bua, but the 95 % confidence limits suggest that there are no significant differences between the two means.

The few records on spear fishing showed that landings ranged from between 10-101.5 kg, with a an average of 55.7 kg. Catch rates ranged from 0.18-6.7 kg/man-hr and a mean of 3.38 kg/man- hr (± 1.24 kg/man-hr). Most the spearfishing landings came from the Mali island, with the balance from Macuata.

It was not possible to obtain any detailed estimates of species or family composition from commercial catches. Spearfishing catches were landed to a single retailer on the outskirts of Labasa and were often sold or partially sold when records of the landing were made from receipts and interviews with the store keeper. From casual observations on catches made by spearfishermen, the commonest components of landings appeared to be trevallies (Carangidae), groupers and coral trouts (Serranidae), sweetlips and snappers (Haemulidae and Lutjanidae) and the large parrotfish (Bolbometapon muricatum) and large wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus). Catches from the handline fishery are sorted immediately on landing into various strings depending on of the different species. Some strings contain only one type of fish, such as Spanish mackerels {Scomberomorus commerson) or barracuda, or a limited number of species such as Lutjanus argentimaculatus and Lutjanus bohar. However, the most valuable species were sorted either as Grade a and Grade b fish. Grade a fish comprised emperors such as Lethrinus nebulosus and Lethrinus miniatus (=chrysostomus) and groupers such as Epinephelus hoedeti. Lower value Grade b fish included coral trouts (.Plectropomus spp) and other groupers (Epinephelus spp, Cephalopholis spp), trevallies, the Napoleon wrasse (C. undulatus), snappers such as paddletails (Lutjanus gibbus) and job fish (Aprion virescens and Aphareus spp).

Grade a and Grade b catches comprised just over half the handline catch (Table 13), with other significant contributions from nearshore and reef pelagic species such barracuda, trevallies and Spanish mackerel. It is not possible to obtain a better breakdown of the handline catch composition beyond the categories given in Table 13 without separating the catch into families and species, but this is not possible at the landing site due to the speed with which it is sorted in to strings and stores on ice.

The Fisheries Division in Fiji does collect information, however, in markets and other retail stores and is able to make some estimate of the species and family composition passing through these outlets. The information for Labasa for 1994 and 1995 for fish passing through markets and stores was pooled and is given in Table 14. This data is predominantly from the commercial handline catches but also contains landings from other fishing methods such as gillnetting, which is still permitted in the Labasa river estuary and spearfishing. The dominant families in the catch are groupers, emperors, scombrids—mainly Spanish mackerel and some Indian mackerel (Rastrelliger brachysoma), barracuda, trevallies and snappers, together comprising nearly 70 % of the total and is indicative of the composition of the handline catches. 10

Subsistence fishing

A total of 20 records were collected from contact interviews with villagers returning form subsistence fishing in the Macuata Province. About half of these were from spear fishing, in all except one instance it was possible to get an estimate of the time spent fishing. The exception was two fishermen who caught a total of about 13.7 kg of fish and molluscs from a day spent spearfishing and collecting. The highest catch rates were obtained from spearfishing (Table 15), and while these were lower than average commercial catch rates, the 95 % confidence limits overlap. There maybe little actual difference between the catch rates in the two sectors. The average from this small number of handline catch rates is about half that in the commercial fishery and reflects the targeting of smaller shallow reef species.

Given the small sample size we have pooled the data to estimate the catch composition assuming it reflects an average mix of activities in the subsistence fishery in the Macuata Province (Table 16). Just under 30 per cent of the total subsistence catch comprised groupers, with about 18 per cent formed by surgeonfish. Other significant contributions were made by trevallies, emperors and invertebrates, mainly molluscs—octopus (9.7 %), gastropods (8.63 %), giant clams (2.03 %)— peneaid prawns (1.18 %) and sea cucumbers (2.45 %).

Historical data on commercial gillnet fishing fishery

A limited data set of gillnet catch and fishing effort data for the Macuata-Bua region was located amongst the files of the Fiji Fisheries Division and made available for this report (Table 17). The data cover the 24 months between January 1982 and December 1983. Fishing effort in terms of the numbers of hours fished was available from the data, but not the number of nets used or the total length of netting deployed. We have expressed CPUE in terms of kilograms caught per day, and per man hour of fishing, to permit comparison with the gillnet fishing conducted in this survey. Average daily catch rates over this 24 month period ranged from 53.5 to 97.39 kg/day, with a mean of 73.11 kg/day, and 1.94 to 3.63 kg/man-hr with a mean of 2.61 kg/man-hr. The monthly variation in CPUE during the two years suggests strong seasonal peaks in the catch rates during January, May-June and October. Unfortunately there is no composition data for these catch records, however, anecdotal information from fishermen suggests that groupers are caught in abundance in January, the emperor, Lethrinus nebulosus, in June and Spanish mackerel during October.

Average catch rates from the survey fishing estimated on the same basis as here were 61.5 kg/day and 2.15 kg/man-hr. These are lower than the estimates from commercial fishing, however, only three nets were used to generate the survey catches. Commercial fishermen also moved around considerably to find better fishing areas if catch was poor as opposed to this survey where nets were deployed over relatively small areas to sample a range of different habitats. Further, anecdotal information from the Labasa fishermenpreviousl y involved in the commercial gillnet fishery suggested that typically up to nine nets of 450 m in length used to be deployed at each set, with fishing taking place around the clock in good fishing grounds, as opposed to this survey where fishing took place at six hour intervals, with the nets set at the high tide. If we adjust both sets of catch rate per man-hr on the number of nets used per day then the catch rates from commercial fishing were 0.29 kg/net/man-hr and 24.37 kg/net/day, and 0.71 kg/net/man-hr and 11

20.5 kg/net/day. The difference between mean daily catch rates is similar, however, the average catch per man hour during the survey is double that of the commercial fishery in the early 1980s. Clearly, this is a very simple and at best speculative comparison between two rather different sets of data but which may indicate the difference in CPUE between fished and unfished stocks in the Macuata region.

Historical data from handline fishery

Little information exists on the long term changes in the commercial handline fishery, other than annual landings and fleet size based at Labasa compiled by Fisheries Division. These data are given in Table 18. Fleet size increased from 99 to 116 vessels in 1991, followed by a subsequent decline to 73 vessels in 1995. The gross performance of these boats in terms of catch per vessel has shown a generally increasing trend over this six year period, with the current production of between 10 to 12.2 t/vessel annually. There is an apparent inverse relationship between catch per vessel and fleet size (Figure 8), although it is unlikely that the general improvements in catch are a result of the decline in fleet size between 1994 and 1995.Given that the fishery comprises mainly relatively long lived demersal species it is unlikely that the populations would respond so quickly to reduction of fishing effort, as is say the case with short lived small pelagic fish. A more likely explanation is that improvements in catch rates (probably linked to environmentally driven recruitment success) were coincidental with the decommissioning of older vessels and less successful vessels from the commercial fleet.

Fishery yields

The yield from the reef and lagoon system in the Macuata-Bua region is a combination of bot the subsistence and commercial catches. The average handline catch from the Great Sea Reef between 1990 and 1995 has ranged from 731 to 1023 t, or an average of 858 t.

Estimation of subsistence catch is more difficult, especially since our observations here are very limited and confined to catch rates and catch composition of subsistence fishing. However, Rawlinson and et al (1994) have conducted detailed observations on the subsistence production of rural Fijians on Viti Levu which might extrapolated to rural Fijians in the Macuata-Bua region. Estimates of fish and seafood consumption from Rawlinson et al (1994) ranged between 41.2 and 68.2 kg/person/yr for rural Fijians. Most of the rural population in the Macuata-Bua region are native Fijians, whilst the Indian populations are concentrated in the urban centres, especially Labasa. From census dat the population of rural Fijians in the Macuata-Bua region is 15,971 people. Taking a mean figure of 55 kg/capita/yr for subsistence fish consumption, then the this amounts to a total of about 8741 of fish and seafood consumed annually. This was converted to whole fresh weight using a conversion factor of 1.25, to account for a 20 per cent weight loss of inedible hard parts such as bone and shells. This then gives a total subsistence landing in the rural areas of Macuata and Bua of 10921.

From the sampling of subsistence catches made during this survey, about 17 per cent of the landed weight of subsistence catches are invertebrates. If this is assumed to be representative of the ratio of invertebrates to fish throughout a typical year then subsistence fin-fish production is thought to lie in the region of 906 t/yr. Combined with the production from the Great Sea Reef 12 commercial handline fishery, this represents a total fish production for this area of Vanua Levu of 1,7641 or about 19541 with subsistence invertebrate harvests.

The combined total area of the Great Sea Reef and the lagoon it encloses is about 4000 km2. The total fin-fish yield of the entire area amounts therefore to around 0.49 t/km2/yr. Most of the finfish catch comes from on or near to coral reefs. We have assumed that rural Fijians living in estuarine areas obtain most of their subsistence fisheries production from the immediate area, given that this will comprise their traditional fishing grounds. To account for this, we have adjusted the total subsistence fin-fish harvest by discounting the annual fish consumption form rural Fijian populations living in the Labasa delta (about 2,300 people), assuming This then gives a total estimates subsistence reef fish production of about 750 t/yr. Adding this to the reef fish production form the Great Sea Reef gives an annual reef fisheries catch of just over 1600 t/yr, or a yield of 2.3 t/km2/yr for a total coral reef area of 701.3 krii or 0.4 t/kiA from the the combined reef and lagoon area. This is relatively modest for reef fisheries yields in the Pacific and even in Fiji, some of which are given in Table 19 for comparison.

CONCLUSIONS AND MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Information from the villagers in the Macuata area obtained from interviews conducted during this survey supports the conclusion that coastal fish stocks have improved markedly since the imposition of ban on commercial gillnet fishing in 1990. Interviews with villagers suggests that they no longer need to travel far to catch fish and stocks in proximity to their villages are once again abundant. Villagers also reported that they do not need to fish as long as in then past to achieve good catches. Species which had become very scarce such as the mackerel, (salala; Rastrelliger brachysoma) and mullet (kanace; Liza spp., Valmugil spp.), before the ban are now much more abundant.

2. The unadjusted average catch from this survey during February 1996 was 61.5 kg/day and 2.15 kg/man-hr, and from the commercial gill net fishery in the early 1980s, 73.11 kg/day and 2.61 kg/man-hr. If catch rates are adjusted by the number of nets used per day then the catch rates from commercial fishing were 0.29 kg/net/man-hr and 24.37 kg/net/day, and 0.71 kg/net/man-hr and 20.5 kg/net/day from this survey . The difference between mean daily catch rates is similar, however, the average catch per man hour during the survey is double that of the commercial fishery in the early 1980s.

3. The principal components in the gillnets catches from this survey were sharks and rays, which collectively formed about 34 % of the total weight of fish caught. Both snappers and trevallies each comprised about 9 % of the catch, while mullets and mackerels each contributed a further 8 % to the total landed weight. This confirms the observations of village fishermen that mackerels and mullets are abundant in the Macuata area. The large proportion of the catch formed by sharks (28 %) may be indicative of low fishing pressure, as predatory species such as sharks are usually the first group of fishes to be depleted when fishing effort is high. 13

4. Commercial fishermen in Labasa have switched from gillnet fishing to handline fishing for demersal reef stocks on the Great Sea Reef. The people most affected by the gillnet ban were fishermen from outside the Macuata area, particularly those from Viti Levu. Commercial fishermen in Labasa are generally not in favour of relaxing the ban on commercial gillnet fishing in the Macuata Province. This is mainly for economic reasons, as the commercial fishermen have converted their operations to handline fishing. If commercial gillnetting was permitted again in Macuata Province it would be costly to convert back to net fishing and they believe that gillnetting would again be banned or restricted within a few years.

5. Subsistence fisheries landings in the Macuata area are generated mainly by handline fishing, spearfishing and reef gleaning with knives and hand nets. Catch rates from subsistence fishing varied between 0.72 to 2.60 kg/man-hr, with the highest returns from spearfishing, which was also the most frequently encountered fishing method employed by subsistence fishermen. Some subsistence gillnet fishing is allowed in the Macuata area, particularly when large volumes of fish are required by the village for social occasions. It is estimated that gillnets are deployed in each village on average of about 10 time per year. The frequency of subsistence fishing activity is not known precisely but households are thought to go fishing at least three times per week. Nearly 17 % of subsistence landings recorded during this survey were invertebrates, mainly molluscs. Groupers and coral trouts accounted for nearly 30 % of the total landings, with other significant contributions from surgeonfish (18 %), trevallies (10 %), emperors (6 %) and parrotfish (5 %).

6. Subsistence gillnet fishing in the Macuata area does not appear to be excessive, given that it is mainly confined to generating large volumes of fish for important social occasions in the villages. There is no reason, therefore to seek any limitation of subsistence gillnet fishing effort. Based on the results of our gillnet fishing, we would suggest, however, restricting the use of 2" mesh gillnets and regulating the hanging ratios of 3" and 4" nets to no less than 75 per cent of the total net length. We do not suggest an outright ban on 2" nets as such but to discourage their use. Persons currently deploying 2" nets should be left free to do so until the net is no longer useable. If the old net is to be replaced it should be with either a 3" or 4" net. This can regulated through the traditional authority of the various chiefs in the Macuata area and enforced by Fisheries Division, without the necessity for legislation, if a license is requires for subsistence gillnet fishing.

7. The average catch rate for commercial handline vessels fishing during February and March was 2.49 kg/line-hr, but this may be lower than expected due to bad weather during the study period. Vessels landing fish during the survey fished for periods ranging between 1 and 7 days, with landings ranging from 12 to 500 kg/trip, or an average of 262.7 kg. Current trends in the fishery suggest that there is no resource limitation at the current levels of fishing

8. Landings in the commercial handline fishery are usually dominated by barracuda, trevallies, Spanish mackerel, groupers and coral trout, snappers and emperors. As the commercial handline fishery in the Macuata-Bua area is an important economic activity 14

for Vanua Levu, we recommend that as well as catch data, Fisheries Division continue to collect information on fishing effort, notably, trip length, days fishing, hours fished per day and crew size, as conducted during this survey.

REFERENCES

Dalzell, P. & T. Adams. 1996.. Sustainability and management of reef fisheries in the Pacific Islands . Presented at the 8th International Coral Reef Symposium, Panama City, Panama, 24-29 June 1996. 6 pp.

Bayliss-Smith, T. 1975. The price of protein: marine fisheries in Pacific subsistence. Presented Pacific Science Association, 13th Pacific Science Congress, Aug 18-30, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, 30 pp.

Jennings, S. & Polunin, N.V.C. 1995. Comparative size and composition of yield from six Fijian reef fisheries. J. Fish Biol. 46, 28-46.

Rawlinson, N.J.F., Milton, D.A. & Blaber, S.J.M., Sesewa, A. & Sharma, S.P. 1994. A survey of the subsistence and artisanal fisheries in rural areas of Viti Levu, Fiji. Canberra: ACIAR Monograph No. 35, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, 138 pp. Table 1: Summary of fishing activities in four fishing grounds in Macuata Province

Catch by mesh size (g) Fishing ground no of 2" mesh 3" mesh 4'" mesh Total sets Macuata 5 59,345 73,390 83,224 215,959 Mali 6 45,750 52,660 46,115 144,525 Sasa 6 92,593 103,525 125,905 322,023 Labasa 6 88,899 57,332 62,445 208,676 Total 23 286587 286907 317689 891,183

Table 2: Summary of catch rates from gillnet fishing at four locations in Macuata Province Location Mesh size (in) Day CPUE (g/m net) 2 3 4 Macuata 9.04 13.53 17.06 Mali 18.67 22.41 31.89 Sasa 17.10 8.46 29.99 Labasa 41.93 32.24 35.68

Night CPUE (g/m net)

Macuata 52.67 63.57 111.92 Mali 26.58 29.68 36.43 Sasa 74.48 93.94 156.54 Labasa 46.00 24.47 26.08

Total CPUE (g/m net)

Macuata 35.22 43.55 73.98 Mali 22.63 26.04 34.16 Sasa 45.79 51.20 93.26 Labasa 43.97 28.35 30.88 Table 3. Catch composition from gillnet fishing at Labasa Family No Wt(e) •/.No %wt Lactaridae 82 31,225 8.77 15.10 Polynemeidae 163 30,095 17.43 14.55 Mugilidae 114 27,625 12.19 13.36 Lutjanidae 66 21,885 7.06 10.58 Mullidae 75 12,065 8.02 5.83 Leiognathidae 119 9,075 12.73 4.39 Sphymidae 11 8,370 1.18 4.05 Hemiramphidae 45 7,809 4.81 3.78 Carangidae 27 6,300 2.89 3.05 Lethrinidae 23 6,175 2.46 2.99 Chanidae 12 5,605 1.28 2.71 Siganidae 21 5,545 2.25 2.68 Sphyraenidae 10 4,475 1.07 2.16 Gerridae 75 4,440 8.02 2.15 Monodactylidae 31 4,117 3.32 1.99 Carcharhinidae 2 3,645 0.21 1.76 Scombri dae 10 3,605 1.07 1.74 Megalopidae 12 2,950 1.28 1.43 Trichiuridae 5 2,550 0.53 1.23 Belonidae 3 2,020 0.32 0.98 Theraponidae 14 1,975 1.50 0.96 Chirocentridae 7 1,950 0.75 0.94 Scatophagidae 3 1,850 0.32 0.89 Serranidae 2 675 0.21 0.33 Dasyatididae 1 500 0.11 0.24 Echneidae 1 170 0.11 0.08 Kuhlidae 1 95 0.11 0.05 Table 4 Catch composition from gillnet fishing at Mali Family No Wtfc) %No %Wt Mugilidae 66 22,515 16.97 15.82 Chanidae 19 21,910 4.88 15.39 Carcharhinidae 9 19,185 2.31 13.48 Scombridae 47 16,250 12.08 11.41 Carangidae 39 7,520 10.03 5.28 Lethrinidae 21 7,250 5.40 5.09 Belonidae 5,745 1.29 4.04 Lutjanidae 40 5,275 10.28 3.71 Lactaridae 14 4,605 3.60 3.23 Monodactylidae 28 3,785 7.20 2.66 Megaiopidae 3,490 0.51 2.45 Serranidae 2,925 1.80 2.05 Siganidae 10 2,755 2.57 1.94 Gerridae 16 2,735 4.11 1.92 Sphyraenidae 2,715 1.03 1.91 Mullidae 14 2,560 3.60 1.80 Hemiramphidae 15 2,555 3.86 1.79 Chirocentridae 1,890 1.03 1.33 Echineididae 1,170 0.26 0.82 Dasyatididae 1,135 0.26 0.80 Ephippidae 1,125 1.80 0.79 Holocentridae 725 1.29 0.51 Scaridae 715 0.51 0.50 Balistidae 625 0.77 0.44 Haemulidae 450 0.26 0.32 Leiognathidae 265 0.77 0.19 Labridae 200 0.51 0.14 Acanthuridae 190 0.77 0.13 Scorpaenidae 95 0.26 0.07 Table 5 Catch composition from gillnet fishing at Macuata Family No Wt(g) %No %Wt Lutjanidae 61 88,480 19.12 41.18 Carangidae 39 29,615 12.23 13.78 Mugilidae 38 20,970 11.91 9.76 Siganidae 37 17,035 11.60 7.93 Scombridae 40 15,525 12.54 7.23 Lethrinidae 27 15,379 8.46 7.16 Gerridae 12 6,630 3.76 3.09 Holocentridae 7 3,865 2.19 1.80 Mullidae 6 3,425 1.88 1.59 Sphyraenidae 8 2,295 2.51 1.07 Labridae 4 2,185 1.25 1.02 Serranidae 5 1,805 1.57 0.84 Carcharhinidae 18 1,730 5.64 0.81 Megalopidae 2 1,560 0.63 0.73 Belonidae 2 840 0.63 0.39 Rhinobatidae 1 780 0.31 0.36 Acanthuridae 1 735 0.31 0.34 Octopus 1 590 0.31 0.27 Haemulidae 3 500 0.94 0.23 Myliobatidae 1 500 0.31 0.23 Chirocentridae 4 265 1.25 0.12 Echeneididae 1 85 0.31 0.04 Hemiramphidae 1 70 0.31 0.03

Table 6 Catch composition from gillnet fishing at Sasa Family No Wt (g) %No %Wt Carcharhinidae 41 95770 4.84 30.02 Lutjanidae 306 42070 36.13 13.19 Lethrinidae 177 36695 20.90 11.50 Carangidae 45 25525 5.31 8.00 Siganidae 56 21740 6.61 6.82 Scombridae 54 20320 6.38 6.37 Mugilidae 30 14635 3.54 4.59 Haemulidae 3 12480 0.35 3.91 Myliobatidae 1 12300 0.12 3.86 Belonidae 15 12145 1.77 3.81 Sphyraenidae 10 4798 1.18 1.50 Mullidae 23 4110 2.72 1.29 Gerridae 30 3675 3.54 1.15 Hemiramphidae 16 3365 1.89 1.05 Ephippidae 1 2500 0.12 0.78 Kyphosidae 2 1705 0.24 0.53 Scaridae 8 1620 0.94 0.51 Holocentridae 10 915 1.18 0.29 Dasyatiidae 1 880 0.12 0.28 Balistidae 6 675 0.71 0.21 Serranidae 6 565 0.71 0.18 Acanthuridae 4 330 0.47 0.10 Labridae 2 175 0.24 0.05 Table 7. Catch composition by mesh size from gillnet sets made at Macuata, Mali and Sasa fishing grounds

2"mesh 3" mesh 4" mesh Family %No %wt %No %wt %No %Wt Carcharhinidae 1.15 16.90 3.56 17.31 17.04 47.20 Siganidae 0.64 0.77 3.17 1.90 30.00 13.64 Carangidae 7.03 6.57 4.95 6.69 15.56 11.81 Chanidae 0.13 0.06 1.78 4.11 3.33 4.85 Myliobatidae 0.00 0.00 0.20 3.48 0.37 4.82 Lethrinidae 15.22 7.77 16.63 10.50 8.15 4.33 Lutjanidae 33.63 12.67 23.56 11.61 9.26 4.08 Haemulidae 0.26 4.02 0.40 0.89 1.11 2.11 Mugilidae 8.82 9.52 11.88 14.50 1.85 2.10 Monodactylidae 0.51 0.12 0.20 0.04 8.52 1.35 Serranidae 0.90 0.37 1.78 1.38 0.74 0.81 Scombri dae 3.58 4.94 21.39 17.51 0.00 0.73 Lactaridae 0.51 1.07 1.58 0.77 1.48 0.70 Echeneididae 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.74 0.50 Dasyatiidae 0.13 0.44 0.00 0.00 0.37 0.45 Hemiramphidae 4.09 2.97 0.00 0.00 0.37 0.19 Gerridae 6.27 2.21 1.58 1.01 0.37 0.18 Holocentridae 1.92 0.83 1.19 0.58 0.00 0.06 Ephippidae 0.38 1.50 0.79 0.22 0.37 0.06 Muilidae 4.99 3.61 0.59 0.29 0.37 0.03 Belonidae 1.92 6.46 1.39 3.00 0.00 0.00 Megalopidae 0.00 0.00 0.79 2.21 0.00 0.00 Sphyraenidae 2.69 4.74 0.40 0.92 0.00 0.00 Chirocentridae 0.90 1.08 0.20 0.42 0.00 0.00 Scaridae 1.15 1.00 0.20 0.16 0.00 0.00 Balistidae 0.90 0.48 0.40 0.16 0.00 0.00 Leiognathidae 0.13 0.03 0.59 0.15 0.00 0.00 Acanthuridae 0.64 0.13 0.59 0.13 0.00 0.00 Labridae 0.90 0.41 0.20 0.04 0.00 0.00 Rhinobatidae 0.13 8.09 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Kyphosidae 0.26 0.86 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Scorpaenidae 0.13 0.05 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 .Qfitooiis 0.13 0,35 000 0,00 0,00 0,00 Table 8. Catch composition by mesh size from gillnet sets made at the Labasa fishing ground

2 mesh 3" mesh 4" mesh Family %No %Wt %No %Wt %No %Wt Belonidae 0.51 2.27 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Carangidae 1.89 2.18 5.66 3.49 3.83 3.79 Carcharhinidae 0.00 0.00 0.63 3.78 0.55 2.35 Chanidae 0.34 0.60 0.00 0.00 5.46 8.21 Chirocentridae 1.20 2.19 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Dasyatididae 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.55 0.81 Echineidae 0.17 0.19 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Gerridae 12.86 4.99 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Haemulidae 0.17 0.22 0.63 0.34 0.00 0.00 Hemiramphidae 7.72 8.78 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Kuhlidae 0.17 0.11 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Lactaridae 3.43 6.00 19.50 28.97 16.94 14.71 Leiognathidae 8.58 2.27 23.90 6.90 16.94 4.95 Lethrinidae 1.03 1.09 4.40 3.74 5.46 4.92 Lutjanidae 3.26 3.35 20.75 19.91 7.65 11.91 MegaJopidae 0.86 1.06 0.00 0.00 3.83 3.25 Monodactylidae 0.86 0.00 0.00 4.27 3.83 2.66 Mugilidae 15.78 13.86 6.29 11.59 6.56 13.89 Mullidae 12.35 12.89 0.00 0.00 1.64 0.98 Polynemidae 23.84 26.37 2.52 1.53 14.75 11.75 Scatophagidae 0.00 0.00 1.89 3.19 0.00 0.00 Scombridae 0.34 0.66 1.26 1.23 3.28 3.72 Senranidae 0.17 0.26 0.00 0.00 0.55 0.72 Siganidae 0.34 1.21 7.55 4.40 3.83 3.10 Sphyraenidae 1.54 4.69 0.00 0.00 0.55 0.49 Sphyrnidae 0.34 1.52 2.52 5.14 2.73 6.53 Theraponidae 1.54 0.96 0.87 1.52 0.55 0.39 069 7 76 0.00 0,00 - 0,55 2,5?, Table 9. Catch composition for day and night time gillnets sets at Macuata, Mali and Sasa

Family Night % N Night % Wt Day % N Day % Wt Carcharhinidae 8.24 31.27 3.15 9.83 Lutjanidae 26.81 11.25 4.61 1.91 Scombridae 9.56 8.40 5.91 4.62 Mullidae 6.54 7.68 3.12 3.10 Lethrinidae 13.57 7.32 12.84 8.39 Carangidae 5.17 5.94 22.10 18.13 Siganidae 11.75 5.81 8.83 3.94 Rhinobatidae 0.06 3.43 0.00 0.00 Haemulidae 0.75 2.94 0.00 0.00 Myliobatidae 1.72 2.81 0.43 6.61 Belonidae 0.99 2.57 1.42 5.22 Sphyraenidae 1.19 2.18 0.49 0.75 Monodactylidae 3.82 1.43 0.50 0.10 Lactaridae 1.49 1.06 0.00 0.00 Serranidae 1.23 1.00 0.76 0.19 Mugilidae 0.95 0.77 9.25 10.12 Gerridae 2.01 0.66 4.97 2.94 Chirocentridae 0.48 0.63 0.00 0.00 Holocentridae 1.41 0.60 0.43 0.05 Ephippidae 0.06 0.54 2.56 0.89 Hemiramphidae 0.81 0.53 3.45 3.02 Dasyatiidae 0.22 0.37 0.00 0.00 Kyphosidae 0.12 0.37 0.00 0.00 Echeneididae 0.32 0.21 0.00 0.00 Scaridae 0.14 0.09 1.31 1.45 Leiognathidae 0.21 0.05 0.43 0.11 Acanthuridae 0.17 0.04 1.63 0.31 Chanidae 0.06 0.02 8.37 16.13 Balistidae 0.12 0.02 1.69 0.95 Scorpaenidae 0.06 0.02 0.00 0.00 Labridae 0.00 0.00 1.58 0.72 Octopus 0.00 0.00 0.16 0.54 Table 10. Catch composition for day and night time gillnets sets at Labasa

Family Night %N Night % Wt Day %N Day%wt Polynemidae 15.28 18.07 2.95 8.90 Lactaridae 16.39 14.67 10.88 18.17 Mugilidae 6.91 13.22 9.13 10.25 Leiognathidae 14.44 10.39 11.54 4.23 Sphymidae 2.55 6.84 0.00 0.88 Lutjanidae 5.49 6.07 12.17 16.46 Lethrinidae 2.55 5.35 5.57 2.14 Carangidae 3.26 4.98 2.30 2.09 Mullidae 6.72 4.80 10.71 5.27 Monodactylidae 5.33 2.68 0.63 0.94 Hemiramphidae 2.40 2.36 2.73 3.55 Siganidae 1.97 1.96 3.56 3.98 Scombridae 1.39 1.43 0.22 2.29 Trichiuridae 0.24 1.28 0.22 0.68 Belonidae 3.48 1.27 0.11 0.20 Gerridae 3.24 1.14 5.25 2.24 Sphyraenidae 2.09 1.10 1.07 2.58 Serranidae 1.05 0.63 1.50 0.00 Theraponidae 0.58 0.52 2.41 1.49 Carcharhinidae 0.00 0.46 3.39 2.20 Haemulidae 0.58 0.40 0.00 0.00 Megalopidae 0.24 0.33 2.43 2.27 Kuhlidae 3.36 0.07 7.21 0.00 Chanidae 0.00 0.00 0.22 5.19 Scatophagidae 0.46 0.00 2.65 1.85 Chirocentridae 0.00 0.00 1.07 1.53 Dasyatididae 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.47 Echineidae 0.00 0.00 0.11 0.13 Table 11. Length-weight exponents for fishes captured by gillnetting in the Macuata-Bua region

Species a b r2 n Caranx melampygus -9.687 2.827 -9.871 49 Caranx papuensis -9.687 2.792 0.981 49 Carcharhinus melanopterus -11.201 2.954 0.970 71 Chanos chanos -10.303 2.888 0.984 31 Chelinis chlorurus -7.192 2.299 0.900 8 Chirocentrus dorab -10.190 2.647 0.966 15 Crenimugil crenilabis -10.769 2.941 0.967 25 Epinephelus malabaricus -9.936 2.783 0.997 6 Gerres argyreus -9.832 2.820 0.731 42 Gerres japonicus -8.217 2.498 0.945 36 Gerres oblongus -9.140 2.692 0.989 28 Gerres oyena -5.708 1.990 0.741 27 Hemiramphus far -10.225 2.654 0.804 73 Lactarius lactarius -9.844 2.794 0.981 96 Leiognathus equulus -3.837 1.593 0.548 15 Leiognathus facsiatus -10.481 2.985 0.973 106 Lethrinus harak -11.177 3.059 0.973 53 Lethrinns mahsena -10.768 3.002 0.988 16 Lethrinus microdon • -11.207 3.060 0.984 9 Lethrinus nebuiosus -11.743 3.147 0.978 10 Lethrinus ramak • -10.799 2.984 0.973 142 Liza microlepis -9.703 2.746 0.933 19 Liza vagiensis -10.038 2.816 0.967 28 Lutjanus argentimaculatus -10.165 2.857 0.979 62 Lutjanus erhenbergi -11.191 3.028 0.960 22 Lutjanus fulviflamma -7.179 2.278 0.734 109 Lutjanus fulvus -10.685 2.964 0.904 147 Lutjanus gibbus -10.310 2.895 0.915 84 Lutjanus johnii? -11.173 3.076 0.902 7 Lutjanus monostigmus -8.031 2.444 0.903 18 Lutjanus russelli -16.211 3.946 0.863 6 Megalops cyprinoides -11.131 2.992 0.987 17 Mondactylus argentus -10.970 3.088 0.926 58 Mulloides vanicolensis -6.941 2.247 0.700 9 Oedalechiius labiousus -9.664 2.747 0.931 75 Parupeneus barberinus -12.254 3.258 0.952 9 Parupeneus indicus -10.901 3.010 0.966 8 Polydactylus plebius -9.784 2.793 0.922 114 Polydactylus sexfilis -4.642 1.847 0.676 56 Rastrelliger brachysoma -8.756 2.605 0.696 146 Rhinecanthus aculeatus -14.863 3.862 0.981 6 Sargocentron spiniferum -11.917 3.210 0.917 10 Scomberoides lysan -10.858 2.851 0.993 36 Siganus vermiculatus -9.824 2.846 0.987 117 Sphyraena barracuda -11.267 2.869 0.953 25 Sphyrna lewini -0.515 1.188 0.491 11 Strongylura incisa -16.998 3.563 0.989 9 Therapon jabua -7.413 2.333 0.848 14 Trichiurus lepturus -19.252 3.794 0.907 5 Tylosurus crocodilus -11.265 2.738 0.925 12 Upeneus vittatus -9.699 2.785 0.774 80 Valamugil seheli -11.224 3.016 0.992 97 Table 12. CPUE for commercial handline vessels fishing on the Great Sea Reef in February 1996

Location Mean CPUE 95 % confidence limits N (kg/line-hr) All locations 2.49 0.48 52 Macuata 2.51 0.63 26 Bua 2.35 0.87 18

Table 13. Composition of commercial handline fishery in Labasa during February 1996

Fish grade/family Wt (kg) % Grade b = Plectropomus, Epinephelns 3,778.40 30.61 spp, Cephalopholis spp, Carangidae, Cheilinus undulatus, Lutjanus spp and Aprion virescens, Apharens spp, Lethrinus spp Grade a = Lethrinus nebulosus, Lethrinus 2,984.00 24.17 miniatu, Epinephelus hoedeti Barracuda 2,006.00 16.25 Trevallies 864.50 7.00 Spanish mackerel 829.35 6.72 Snappers 719.60 5.83 Mixed reef 700.20 5.67 Groupers 214.50 1.74 Emperors 206.00 1.67 Dogtooth tuna 28.50 0.23 Yellowfln tuna 13.00 0.11 Table 14. Composition of commercial catches in Labasa 1994- 1995

Family Outlet Market Total % Acanthuridae 47.19 12.09 59.28 5.79 Balistidae 12.26 2.48 14.74 1.44 Belonidae 0.55 0.07 0.62 0.06 Carangidae 108.57 12.10 120.67 11.78 Chanidae 7.30 0.37 7.67 0.75 Clupeidae 0.20 0.00 0.20 0.02 Coryphaenidae 1.43 0.00 1.43 0.14 Dasyatitidae 0.23 0.11 0.34 0.03 Gerridae 0.70 0.41 1.11 0.11 Haemulidae 8.51 1.70 10.21 1.00 Hemiramphidae 23.64 9.04 32.68 3.19 Kyphosidae 1.14 0.33 1.47 0.14 Labridae 12.01 1.38 13.39 1.31 Lactaridae 0.00 0.06 0.06 0.01 Leiognathidae 0.39 0.32 0.71 0.07 Lethrinidae 119.05 15.77 134.82 13.16 Lutjanidae 108.83 11.55 120.38 11.75 Megalopidae 2.64 0.06 2.70 0.26 Mugilidae 17.06 3.13 20.19 1.97 Mullidae 4.32 1.14 5.46 0.53 Polynemidae 1.14 0.05 1.19 0.12 Scaridae 31.38 4.54 35.92 3.51 Scombridae 121.39 9.62 131.01 12.79 Serranidae 151.02 14.24 165.26 16.13 Siganidae 2.96 1.05 4.01 0.39 Sphyraenidae 115.23 8.56 123.79 12.08 Theraponidae 4.37 0.61 4.98 0.49 Table 15 Catch rates from subsistence fishing in Macuata Province, February 1996

Gear Mean CPUE 95%cl N

Spear 2.60 kg/man-hr 1.41 11 Handline 1.34 kg/line-hr 0.41 4 gillnet 1.13 kg/man-hr 1 Other (gleaning) 0.72 kg/man-hr 3

Table 16. Subsistence catch composition in the Macuata Province, February 1996

Family Wt(kg) % wt Serranidae 87.64 28.28 Acanthuridae 55.90 18.04 Carangidae 31.10 10.04 Lethrinidae 18.34 5.92 Scaridae 14.70 4.74 Haemulidae 11.90 3.84 Siganidae 5.91 1.91 Lutjanidae 5.07 1.64 Sphyraenidae 4.65 1.50 Labridae 3.63 1.17 Muraenidae 3.00 0.97 Mullidae 2.99 0.96 Lactaridae 2.90 0.94 Carcharhinidae 2.80 0.90 Holocentridae 2.37 0.76 Nemipteridae 0.38 0.12 Balistidae 0.11 0.04 Others 4.39 1.42

Tot finfish 257.77 83.18 Invertebrates (muscles, clams, octopus, shrimps, 52.13 16.82 sea-cucumbers) Table 17: Summary of monthly catch and fishing effort from commercial gillnet fishing in the Macuata and Bua Provinces 1982

Mon Days No. of Total Fishin No Man CPUE CPUE g th fishi fish wt crew hours (kg/day) (kg/man- ng (kg) hours hr) J 2.00 339.10 195.00 17.60 3.00 52.80 96.13 3.63 F 2.29 460.71 184.29 24.00 3.00 72.00 81.79 2.63 M 2.00 311.90 142.20 22.20 2.90 64.40 71.10 2.30 A 3.00 398.86 163.43 29.00 3.00 87.00 56.38 1.94 M 2.71 537.43 241.43 24.86 3.00 74.57 88.21 3.28 J 3.00 378.22 246.67 27.89 3.00 83.67 82.22 2.95 J 2.11 311.00 141.33 21.89 2.89 63.56 67.24 2.33 A 2.13 286.25 145.00 28.50 3.00 66.75 68.65 2.30 S 3.00 421.50 169.88 27.63 3.00 82.88 58.29 2.20 0 3.00 378.22 246.67 29.00 3.00 83.67 82.22 2.95 N 2.13 299.88 135.99 21.88 2.88 62.88 64.68 2.28 D 2.11 311.00 141.33 21.89 3.00 63.22 67.24 2.34

Mean 2.46 369.51 179.43 24.69 2.97 71.45 73.68 2.59

1983

Mon Days No. of Total Fishin No Man CPUE CPUE g th fishi fish wt crew hours (kg/day) (kg/man- ng (kg) hours hr) J 2.00 347.82 197.27 17.82 3.00 53.45 97.39 3.63 F 2.10 332.70 160.40 21.40 2.80 61.20 75.05 2.69 M 2.00 311.90 142.20 22.20 2.90 64.40 71.10 2.30 A 2.89 384.11 154.33 25.11 3.00 75.33 53.48 2.18 M 2.60 412.70 208.60 23.80 3.10 72.90 79.60 2.87 J 3.00 390.73 240.00 28.27 3.00 84.00 80.00 2.85 J 2.11 311.00 141.33 21.89 2.89 63.56 67.24 2.33 A 2.13 286.25 145.00 28.50 3.00 66.75 68.65 2.30 S 2.89 384.11 154.33 25.11 3.00 75.33 53.48 2.18 0 3.00 390.73 240.00 28.91 3.00 84.00 80.00 2.85 N 2.10 311.90 141.17 22.20 2.90 64.40 76.49 2.28 D 2.10 311.90 142.20 27.20 3.00 64.40 68.02 2.30

Mean 2.41 347.99 172.24 24.37 2.97 69.14 72.54 2.56 Table 18. Annual production and nominal catch per vessel from the Labasa based commercial handline fishery on the Macuata and Bua sections of the Great Sea Reef

Year Market Stores Total %Market No. of Catch/vessel (t) (0 (t) handline (t) vessels 1990 86 708 794 10.83 99 8.02 1991 22 673 695 3.17 116 5.99 1992 63 874 937 6.72 114 8.22 1993 91 880 971 9.37 104 9.34 1994 117 906 1023 11.44 84 12.18 1995 91 640 731 12.45 73 10.01

Table 19. Comparative yields of reef fish fisheries in Fiji and the South Pacific Islands

Country location Annual reef fish yield (t/km2 Source of reef) Pacific high islands 0.27-17.03 (avg = 4.40) Dalzell & Adams (1996) Pacific atolls 3.50-20.33 (avg = 7.18) Dalzell & Adams (1996) Pacific coral islands 0.60-24.90 (avg = 11.05) Dalzell & Adams (1996) Koro (Fiji) 3.92 Bayliss-Smith (1985) Lakemba ( Fiji) 4.43 Bayliss-Smith (1975) Moala (Fiji) 10.20 Jennings & Polunin (1995) Cokovata ( Fiji) 8.20 Jennings & Polunin (1995) Nukutuba (Fiji) 4.60 Jennings & Polunin (1995) Ko Ono (Fiji) 2.60 Jennings & Polunin (1995) Macuata & Bua (Fiji) 2.30 This study Figure 1. The Fiji Islands showing the Great Sea Reef and other locations mentioned in the text 40

35

30

25

20 —O—Salinity (Labasa) 15 —•—Temperature (Labasa) 10 —&—Salinity (Sasa) —*—Temperature (Sasa) 5 0 5 10 15 20 Distance from shore (km)

Figure 2. Temperature and salinity profiles for Labasa and Sasa fishing grounds ioo n

75-

50-

25-

Macuata Mali Sasa Labasa Location

Figure 3. Catch rate of three different mesh size gillnets deployed at four locations within the Macuata region of Vanua Levu • 2" day • 3" day • 4"day m 2"night m 3 "night s 4" night

Macuata Mali Sasa Labasa Location

Fig 4. Day and night catch rates of three different mesh size gillnets deployed at four locations in the Macuata regionof Vanua Levu 200-1

Mesh size (inches) Figure 5. Gill net catch rates for three different mesh sizes deployed near coral reefs in the Macuata region of Vanua Levu. Vertical bars represent 95 % confidence limits IO 3" mesh!

• II 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240 260 280 300 320 340 360 380 400 420 440 460 480 500 Length class (mm)

12 10 * 8 104" mesh | 8 6 C*L 4

2 liluli 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240 260 280 300 320 340 360 380 400 420 440 460 480 500 Length class (mm)

Figure 6. Length frequency distributions for all reef and estauarine fish species caught by 2", 3" and 4" gillnets deployed at Macuata, Mali, Sasa and Labasa fishing grounds R. brachysoma S. vermiculatus

40 60 35 50 30

40 • 2" mesh I 25 •3" mesh •3" mesh •4" mesh 30 I 20 15 20 10 10 - 5 0 JLH 0 160 200 240 280 320 360 400 200 220 240 260 280 300 320 340 Length class (mm) Length class (mm)

40 P. sexfilis 60 L. fasciatus 35 30 50 C M 25 • mesh 40 •2" mesh 20 •4" mesh •3" mesh 15 30 •4" mesh 10 5 0 JJ 120 160 200 240 280 320 360 400 Hi i 8 8 8 s § T- CM Length class (mm) Length class (mm)

45 L. lactarius •2" mesh 40 •3" mesh 35 •4" mesh c 30 5 ^ a) CL 20 15 10 lliii. j. I 5 JU 0 180 220 260 300 340 380 460 500 Length class (mm)

Figure 7. Length frequency distributions for reef and estauarine fish species caught by 2", 3" and 4" gillnets deployed at Macuata, Mali, Sasa and Labasa fishing grounds L fulvus 60 L ramak

50

02" mesh 40 02" mesh •3" mesh •3" mesh 30

20

10 I 0 iki 140 180 220 260 300 340 § ® Length "class "(mm) § §

Length class (mm)

V. seheli 30 M. argentus 25 •2"mes h 20 •3" mesh •3"mes h 15 •4" mesh 10

5 0 iQ a U 60 100 140 180 220 260 300 180 220 260 300 340 380 420 460

Length class (mm) Length class (mm)

50 - C. papuensis 40 - 02" mesh •3" mesh c 30- 8 •4" mesh

| 20- 10 - A • ill lL 100 140 180 220 260 300 340 380 460 500 Length class (mm)

Figure 7. Contd 14.00 j 94 12.00 -- 95 10.00 -- 93 90 92 8.00 --

91 6.00 --

4.00 --

2.00 --

0.00 — + + 40 60 80 100 120 140

Annual number of vessels

Figure 8. Catch per vessel versus fleet size for the years 1990 to 1995 in the commercial handline fishery on the Great Sea Reef Appendix 1. Species composition of gillnet catches from fishing at Macuata, Mali Sasa and the Labasa estuary, Vanua Levu, February-March 1996. Sorted by family and species

Family Species Number Weight (g) % Number % Weight Acanthuridae Acanthurus mata 1 130 0.04 0.01 Acanthuridae Acanthurus nigricauda 1 35 0.04 0.00 Acanthuridae Acanthurus triostegus 1 100 0.04 0.01 Acanthuridae Acanthurus xanthopterus 4 160 0.16 0.02 Acanthuridae Naso annulatus 1 135 0.04 0.02 Balistidae Balistapus undulatus 2 305 0.08 0.03 Balistidae Pseudobalistes flavimarginatus 1 455 0.04 0.05 Balistidae Rhinecanthus aculeatus 6 540 0.24 0.06 Belonidae Belonid sp 1 925 0.04 0.10 Belonidae Platybelone platyura 3 2460 0.12 0.28 Belonidae Strongylura incisa 9 4375 0.36 0.49 Belonidae Tylosurus crocodilus 12 13930 0.48 1.56 Carangidae Carangichthys oblongus 1 530 0.04 0.06 Carangidae Carangoides ferdau 1 625 0.04 0.07 Carangidae Caranx ignobilis 5 5335 0.20 0.60 Carangidae Caranx melampygus 50 27360 1.99 3.07 Carangidae Caranx papuensis 51 20819 2.03 2.34 Carangidae Gnathanodon speciosus 2 130 0.08 0.01 Carangidae Megalaspys cordyla 1 1335 0.04 0.15 Carangidae Pseudocaranx dentex 1 1005 0.04 0.11 Carangidae Scomberoides lysan 42 8405 1.67 0.94 Carangidae Scomberoides melanopterus 1 905 0.04 0.10 Carcharhinidae Carcharhinus leucas 1 2800 0.04 0.31 Carcharhinidae Carcharhinus melanopterus 71 168670 2.83 18.92 Carcharhinidae Carcharhinus sp 1 5000 0.04 0.56 Carcharhinidae Negaprion actuidens 2 20695 0.08 2.32 Chanidae Chanos chanos 31 27515 1.24 3.09 Chirocentridae Chirocentrus dorab 15 5060 0.60 0.57 Dasyatididae Dasyatis kuhlii 1 880 0.04 0.10 Dasyatididae Dasyatis sephen 1 500 0.04 0.06 Dasyatididae Taeniura lymna 1 1135 0.04 0.13 Echeneidae Echeneis naucrates 3 1440 0.12 0.16 Ephippidae Platax batavianus 1 2500 0.04 0.28 Ephippidae Platax sp 5 665 0.20 0.07 Ephippidae Platax teires 2 460 0.08 0.05 Gerridae Gerres argyreus 42 2500 1.67 0.28 Gerridae Gerres japonicus 36 3100 1.44 0.35 Gerridae Gerres oblongus 28 4460 1.12 0.50 Gerridae Gerres oyena 27 1540 1.08 0.17 Haemulidae Plectorhinchus chaetodontoides 3 1220 0.12 0.14 Haemulidae Plectorhinchus obscurus 6 14530 0.24 1.63 Hemiramphidae Hemiramphus far 78 14179 3.11 1.59 Holocentridae Myripristes kuntee 2 135 0.08 0.02 Family Species Number Weight (g) % Number % Weight Holocentridae Myripristis violaceus 1 50 0.04 0.01 Holocentridae Neoniphon argentus 6 460 0.24 0.05 Holocentridae Neoniphon sammara 1 50 0.04 0.01 Holocentridae Sargocentron melanospilos 1 80 0.04 0.01 Holocentridae Sargocentron microstoma 1 55 0.04 0.01 Holocentridae Sargocentron spiniferum 10 2300 0.40 0.26 Kuhlidae Kuhlia bilunnulata 1 95 0.04 0.01 Kyphosidae Kyphosus cinerascens 2 1705 0.08 0.19 Labridae Cheilinus chlorurus 8 905 0.32 0.10 Lactaridae Lactarius lactarius 96 35830 3.83 4.02 Leiognathidae Gazza minuta 1 80 0.04 0.01 Leiognathidae Leiognathus bindus 1 130 0.04 0.01 Leiognathidae Leiognathus equulus 15 715 0.60 0.08 Leiognathidae Leiognathus fasciatus 106 8545 4.23 0.96 Lethrinidae Lethrinus chrysostomus 1 1935 0.04 0.22 Lethrinidae Lethrinus harak 53 14720 2.11 1.65 Lethrinidae Lethrinus mahsena 16 5040 0.64 0.57 Lethrinidae Lethrinus microdon 9 670 0.36 0.08 Lethrinidae Lethrinus miniatus 2 1535 0.08 0.17 Lethrinidae Lethrinus nebulosus 10 7260 0.40 0.81 Lethrinidae Lethrinus ornatus 2 330 0.08 0.04 Lethrinidae Lethrinus ramak 142 20085 5.66 2.25 Lethrinidae Lethrinus rubrioviolaceous 2 1805 0.08 0.20 Lethrinidae Lethrinus semisinctus 6 675 0.24 0.08 Lethrinidae Lethrinus sp 1 220 0.04 0.02 Lethrinidae Lethrinus xanthochilus 1 1240 0.04 0.14 Lethrinidae Monotaxis grandoculus 3 1185 0.12 0.13 Lutjanidae Lutjanus argentimaculatus 62 26090 2.47 2.93 Lutjanidae Lutjanus bohar 2 800 0.08 0.09 Lutjanidae Lutjanus ehrenbergi 26 3510 1.04 0.39 Lutjanidae Lutjanus fulviflamma 111 13425 4.43 1.51 Lutjanidae Lutjanus fulvus 150 18000 5.98 2.02 Lutjanidae Lutjanus gibbus 85 17045 3.39 1.91 Lutjanidae Lutjanus johnii 7 475 0.28 0.05 Lutjanidae Lutjanus monostigmus 19 2810 0.76 0.32 Lutjanidae Lutjanus russelli 6 990 0.24 0.11 Lutjanidae Lutjanus semisinctus 4 335 0.16 0.04 Lutjanidae Macolor niger 1 555 0.04 0.06 Megalopidae Megalops cyprinoides 17 8250 0.68 0.93 Monodactylidae Monodactylus argentus 58 7667 2.31 0.86 Mugilidae Crenimugil crenilabis 25 13060 1.00 1.47 Mugilidae Crenimugil heterocheilos 2 225 0.08 0.03 Mugilidae Liza microlepis 19 2885 0.76 0.32 Mugilidae Liza vaigiensis 28 16125 1.12 1.81 Mugilidae Oedalechilus labiosus 75 9225 2.99 1.03 Mugilidae Valamugil buchananii 1 580 0.04 0.07 Mugilidae Valamugil cunnesius 1 1610 0.04 0.18 Family Species Number Weight (g) % Number Mugilidae Valamugil seheli 97 41390 3.87 4.64 Mullidae Mulloides vanicolensis 9 1435 0.36 0.16 Mullidae Mulloidichthys Jlavolineatus 4 505 0.16 0.06 Mullidae Parupeneus barberinus 9 1585 0.36 0.18 Mullidae Parupeneus irtdicus 8 1435 0.32 0.16 Mullidae Parupeneus multifasciatus 1 110 0.04 0.01 Mullidae Upeneus arge 3 730 0.12 0.08 Mullidae Upeneus molucensis 3 1205 0.12 0.14 Mullidae Upeneus quadrilineatus 1 160 0.04 0.02 Mullidae Upeneus vittatus 80 12800 3.19 1.44 Myliobatidae Aetobatis narinari 2 20300 0.08 2.28 Polynemeidae Polydactylus sexfilis 56 11920 2.23 1.34 Polynemeidae Polydactylus plebius 114 19670 4.55 2.21 Rhinobatidae Rhynchobatus djiddensis 1 16000 0.04 1.80 Scaridae Hipposcarus longiceps 1 355 0.04 0.04 Scaridae Scarus altipinnis 3 360 0.12 0.04 Scaridae Scarus bowersi 1 360 0.04 0.04 Scaridae Scarus forsteni 3 620 0.12 0.07 Scaridae Scarus frenatus 1 135 0.04 0.02 Scaridae Scarus rivulatus 1 505 0.04 0.06 Scatophagidae Scatophagus argus 3 1850 0.12 0.21 Scombridae Rastrelliger brachysoma 146 54520 5.82 6.12 Scombridae Rastrelliger kanagurta 1 310 0.04 0.03 Scorpaenidae Synanceia verrucosa 1 95 0.04 0.01 Serranidae Epinephelus caeruleopunctatus 4 655 0.16 0.07 Serranidae Epinephelus fuscoguttatus 2 1205 0.08 0.14 Serranidae Epinephelus macrospilos 3 245 0.12 0.03 Serranidae Epinephelus malabaricus 6 2500 0.24 0.28 Serranidae Epinephelus microdon 2 765 0.08 0.09 Serranidae Epinephelus summana 1 215 0.04 0.02 Serranidae Plectropomus truncatus 2 1040 0.08 0.12 Siganidae Siganus chrysospilos 3 720 0.12 0.08 Siganidae Siganus doliatus 2 125 0.08 0.01 Siganidae Siganus vermiculatus 117 45475 4.67 5.10 Siganidae Siganus virgatus 2 135 0.08 0.02 Sphyraenidae Sphyraena barracuda 25 11243 1.00 1.26 Sphyraenidae Sphyraena flavicauda 2 600 0.08 0.07 Sphyraenidae Sphyraena forsteri 2 1000 0.08 0.11 Sphyraenidae Sphyraena obtusa 1 670 0.04 0.08 Sphyraenidae Sphyraena putnamiae 2 1540 0.08 0.17 Sphyrnidae Sphyrna lewini 12 9280 0.48 1.04 Theraponidae Therapon jabua 14 1975 0.56 0.22 Trichiuridae Trichiurus lepturus 5 2550 0.20 0.29 Others Octopus sp 1 690 0.04 0.08

Total 2508 891328 100.00 100.00 Appendix 2. Species composition of gillnet catches from fishing at Macuata, Mali Sasa and the Labasa estuary, Vanua Levu, February-March 1996. Sorted by family and species

Family Species Number Weight (g) % Number % Weight Lutjanidae Lutjanus fulvus 150 18000 5.98 2.02 Scombridae Rastrelliger brachysoma 146 54520 5.82 6.12 Lethrinidae Lethrinus ramak 142 20085 5.66 2.25 Siganidae Siganus vermiculatus 117 45475 4.67 5.10 Polynemeidae Polydactylus plebius 114 19670 4.55 2.21 Lutjanidae Lutjanus fulviflamma 111 13425 4.43 1.51 Leiognathidae Leiognathus fasciatus 106 8545 4.23 0.96 Mugilidae Valamugil seheli 97 41390 3.87 4.64 Lactaridae Lactarius lactarius 96 35830 3.83 4.02 Lutjanidae Lutjanus gibbus 85 17045 3.39 1.91 Mullidae Upeneus vittatus 80 12800 3.19 1.44 Hemiramphidae Hemiramphus far 78 14179 3.11 1.59 Mugilidae Oedalechilus labiosus 75 9225 2.99 1.03 Carcharhinidae Carcharhinus melanopterus 71 168670 2.83 18.92 Lutjanidae Lutjanus argentimaculatus 62 26090 2.47 2.93 Monodactylidae Monodactylus argentus 58 7667 2.31 0.86 Polynemeidae Polydactylus sexfilis 56 11920 2.23 1.34 Lethrinidae Lethrinus harak 53 14720 2.11 1.65 Carangidae Caranx papuensis 51 20819 2.03 2.34 Carangidae Caranx melampygus 50 27360 1.99 3.07 Carangidae Scomberoides lysan 42 8405 1.67 0.94 Gerridae Gerres argyreus 42 2500 1.67 0.28 Gerridae Gerres japonicus 36 3100 1.44 0.35 Chanidae Chanos chanos 31 27515 1.24 3.09 Gerridae Gerres oblongus 28 4460 1.12 0.50 Mugilidae Liza vaigiensis 28 16125 1.12 1.81 Gerridae Gerres oyena 27 1540 1.08 0.17 Lutjanidae Lutjanus ehrenbergi 26 3510 1.04 0.39 Mugilidae Crenimugil crenilabis 25 13060 1.00 1.47 Sphyraenidae Sphyraena barracuda 25 11243 1.00 1.26 Lutjanidae Lutjanus monostigmus 19 2810 0.76 0.32 Mugilidae Liza microlepis 19 2885 0.76 0.32 Megalopidae Megalops cyprinoides 17 8250 0.68 0.93 Lethrinidae Lethrinus mahsena 16 5040 0.64 0.57 Chirocentridae Chirocentrus dorab 15 5060 0.60 0.57 Leiognathidae Leiognathus equulus 15 715 0.60 0.08 Theraponidae Therapon jabua 14 1975 0.56 0.22 Belonidae Tylosurus crocodilus 12 13930 0.48 1.56 Sphyrnidae Sphyrna lewini 12 9280 0.48 1.04 Holocentridae Sargocentron spiniferum 10 2300 0.40 0.26 Lethrinidae Lethrinus nebulosus 10 7260 0.40 0.81 Belonidae Strongylura incisa 9 4375 0.36 0.49 Lethrinidae Lethrinus microdon 9 670 0.36 0.08 Family Species Number % Number Mullidae Mulloides vanicolensis 9 1435 0.36 0.16 Mullidae Parupeneus barberinus 9 1585 0.36 0.18 Labridae Cheilinus chlorurus 8 905 0.32 0.10 Mullidae Parupeneus indicus 8 1435 0.32 0.16 Lutjanidae Lutjanus johnii 7 475 0.28 0.05 Balistidae Rhinecanthus aculeatus 6 540 0.24 0.06 Haemulidae Plectorhinchus obscurus 6 14530 0.24 1.63 Holocentridae Neoniphon argentus 6 460 0.24 0.05 Lethrinidae Lethrinus semisinctus 6 675 0.24 0.08 Lutjanidae Lutjanus russelli 6 990 0.24 0.11 Serranidae Epinephelus malabaricus 6 2500 0.24 0.28 Carangidae Caranx ignobilis 5 5335 0.20 0.60 Ephippidae Platax sp 5 665 0.20 0.07 Trichiuridae Trichiurus lepturus 5 2550 0.20 0.29 Acanthuridae Acanthurus xanthopterins 4 160 0.16 0.02 Lutjanidae Lutjanus semisinctus 4 335 0.16 0.04 Mullidae Mulloidichthys flavolineatus 4 505 0.16 0.06 Serranidae Epinephelus caeruleopunctatus 4 655 0.16 0.07 Belonidae Platybelone platyura 3 2460 0.12 0.28 Echeneidae Echeneis naucrates 3 1440 0.12 0.16 Haemulidae Plectorhinchus chaetodontoides 3 1220 0.12 0.14 Lethrinidae Monotaxis grandoculus 3 1185 0.12 0.13 Mullidae Upeneus arge 3 730 0.12 0.08 Mullidae Upeneus molucensis 3 1205 0.12 0.14 Scaridae Scarus altipinnis 3 360 0.12 0.04 Scaridae Scarus forsteni 3 620 0.12 0.07 Scatophagidae Scatophagus argus 3 1850 0.12 0.21 Serranidae Epinephelus macrospilos 3 245 0.12 0.03 Siganidae Siganus chrysospilos 3 720 0.12 0.08 Balistidae Balistapus undulatus 2 305 0.08 0.03 Carangidae Gnathanodon speciosus 2 130 0.08 0.01 Carcharhinidae Negaprion actuidens 2 20695 0.08 2.32 Ephippidae Platax teires 2 460 0.08 0.05 Holocentridae Myripristes kuntee 2 135 0.08 0.02 Kyphosidae Kyphosus cinerascens 2 1705 0.08 0.19 Lethrinidae Lethrinus miniatus 2 1535 0.08 0.17 Lethrinidae Lethrinus ornatus 2 330 0.08 0.04 Lethrinidae Lethrinus rubrioviolaceous 2 1805 0.08 0.20 Lutjanidae Lutjanus bohar 2 800 0.08 0.09 Mugilidae Crenimugil heterocheilos 2 225 0.08 0.03 Myliobatidae Aetobatis narinari 2 20300 0.08 2.28 Serranidae Epinephelus fuscoguttatus 2 1205 0.08 0.14 Serranidae Epinephelus microdon 2 765 0.08 0.09 Serranidae Plectropomus truncatus 2 1040 0.08 0.12 Siganidae Siganus doliatus 2 125 0.08 0.01 Siganidae Siganus virgatus 2 135 0.08 0.02 Sphyraenidae Sphyraena flavicauda 2 600 0.08 0.07 Family Species Number Weight (g) % Number Sphyraenidae Sphyraena forsteri 2 1000 0.08 0.11 Sphyraenidae Sphyraena putnamiae 2 1540 0.08 0.17 Acanthuridae Acanthurus mata 1 130 0.04 0.01 Acanthuridae Acanthurus nigricauda 1 35 0.04 0.00 Acanthuridae Acanthurus triostegus 1 100 0.04 0.01 Acanthuridae Naso annulatus 1 135 0.04 0.02 Balistidae Pseudobalistes flavimarginatus 1 455 0.04 0.05 Belonidae Belonid sp 1 925 0.04 0.10 Carangidae Carangichthys oblongus 1 530 0.04 0.06 Carangidae Carangoides ferdau 1 625 0.04 0.07 Carangidae Megalaspys cordyla 1 1335 0.04 0.15 Carangidae Pseudocaranx dentex 1 1005 0.04 0.11 Carangidae Scomberoides melanopterus 1 905 0.04 0.10 Carcharhinidae Carcharhinus leucas 1 2800 0.04 0.31 Carcharhinidae Carcharhinus sp 1 5000 0.04 0.56 Dasyatididae Dasyatis kuhlii 1 880 0.04 0.10 Dasyatididae Dasyatis sephen 1 500 0.04 0.06 Dasyatididae Taeniura lymna 1 1135 0.04 0.13 Ephippidae Platax batavianus 1 2500 0.04 0.28 Holocentridae Myripristis violaceus 1 50 0.04 0.01 Holocentridae Neoniphon sammara 1 50 0.04 0.01 Holocentridae Sargocentron melanospilos 1 80 0.04 0.01 Holocentridae Sargocentron microstoma 1 55 0.04 0.01 Kuhlidae Kuhlia bilunnulata 1 95 0.04 0.01 Leiognathidae Gazza minuta 1 80 0.04 0.01 Leiognathidae Leiognathus bindus 1 130 0.04 0.01 Lethrinidae Lethrinus chrysostomus 1 1935 0.04 0.22 Lethrinidae Lethrinus sp 1 220 0.04 0.02 Lethrinidae Lethrinus xanthochilus 1 1240 0.04 0.14 Lutjanidae Macolor niger 1 555 0.04 0.06 Mugilidae Valamugil buchananii 1 580 0.04 0.07 Mugilidae Valamugil cunnesius 1 1610 0.04 0.18 Mullidae Parupeneus multifasciatus 1 110 0.04 0.01 Mullidae Upeneus quadrilineatus 1 160 0.04 0.02 Rhinobatidae Rhynchobatus djiddensis 1 16000 0.04 1.80 Scaridae Hipposcarus longiceps 1 355 0.04 0.04 Scaridae Scarus bowersi 1 360 0.04 0.04 Scaridae Scarus frenatus 1 135 0.04 0.02 Scaridae Scarus rivulatus 1 505 0.04 0.06 Scombridae Rastrelliger kanagurta 1 310 0.04 0.03 Scorpaenidae Synanceia verrucosa 1 95 0.04 0.01 Serranidae Epinephelus summana 1 215 0.04 0.02 Sphyraenidae Sphyraena obtusa 1 670 0.04 0.08 Others Octopus sp 1 690 0.04 0.08

Total 2508 891328 100.00 100.00 Appendix 3. Species composition of gillnet catches from fishing at Macuata, Mali Sasa and the Labasa estuary, Vanua Levu, February-March 1996. Sorted by family and species

Family Species Number Weight (g) % Number % Weight Carcharhinidae Carcharhinus melanopterus 71 168670 2.83 18.92 Scombridae Rastrelliger brachysoma 146 54520 5.82 6.12 Siganidae Siganus vermiculatus 117 45475 4.67 5.10 Mugilidae Valamugil seheli 97 41390 3.87 4.64 Lactaridae Lactarius lactarius 96 35830 3.83 4.02 Chanidae Chanos chanos 31 27515 1.24 3.09 Carangidae Caranx melampygus 50 27360 1.99 3.07 Lutjanidae Lutjanus argentimaculatus 62 26090 2.47 2.93 Carangidae Caranx papuensis 51 20819 2.03 2.34 Carcharhinidae Negaprion actuidens 2 20695 0.08 2.32 Myliobatidae Aetobatis narinari 2 20300 0.08 2.28 Lethrinidae Lethrinus ramak 142 20085 5.66 2.25 Polynemeidae Polydactylus plebius 114 19670 4.55 2.21 Lutjanidae Lutjanus fulvus 150 18000 5.98 2.02 Lutjanidae Lutjanus gibbus 85 17045 3.39 1.91 Mugilidae Liza vaigiensis 28 16125 1.12 1.81 Rhinobatidae Rhynchobatus djiddensis 1 16000 0.04 1.80 Lethrinidae Lethrinus harak 53 14720 2.11 1.65 Haemulidae Plectorhinchus obscurus 6 14530 0.24 1.63 Hemiramphidae Hemiramphus far 78 14179 3.11 1.59 Belonidae Tylosurus crocodilus 12 13930 0.48 1.56 Lutjanidae Lutjanus fulviflamma 111 13425 4.43 1.51 Mugilidae Crenimugil crenilabis 25 13060 1.00 1.47 Mullidae Upeneus vittatus 80 12800 3.19 1.44 Polynemeidae Polydactylus sexfilis 56 11920 2.23 1.34 Sphyraenidae Sphyraena barracuda 25 11243 1.00 1.26 Sphyrnidae Sphyrna lewini 12 9280 0.48 1.04 Mugilidae Oedalechilus labiosus 75 9225 2.99 1.03 Leiognathidae Leiognathus fasciatus 106 8545 4.23 0.96 Carangidae Scomberoides lysan 42 8405 1.67 0.94 Megalopidae Megalops cyprinoides 17 8250 0.68 0.93 Monodactylidae Monodactylus argentus 58 7667 2.31 0.86 Lethrinidae Lethrinus nebulosus 10 7260 0.40 0.81 Carangidae Caranx ignobilis 5 5335 0.20 0.60 Chirocentridae Chirocentrus dorab 15 5060 0.60 0.57 Lethrinidae Lethrinus mahsena 16 5040 0.64 0.57 Carcharhinidae Carcharhinus sp 1 5000 0.04 0.56 Gerridae Gerres oblongus 28 4460 1.12 0.50 Belonidae Strongylura incisa 9 4375 0.36 0.49 Lutjanidae Lutjanus ehrenbergi 26 3510 1.04 0.39 Gerridae Gerres japonicus 36 3100 1.44 0.35 Mugilidae Liza microlepis 19 2885 0.76 0.32 Family Species Number Weight (g) % Number % Weight Lutjanidae Lutjanus monostigmus 19 2810 0.76 0.32 Carcharhinidae Carcharhinus leucas 1 2800 0.04 0.31 Trichiuridae Trichiurus lepturus 5 2550 0.20 0.29 Gerridae Gerres argyreus 42 2500 1.67 0.28 Serranidae Epinephelus malabaricus 6 2500 0.24 0.28 Ephippidae Platax batavianus 1 2500 0.04 0.28 Belonidae Platybelone platyura 3 2460 0.12 0.28 Holocentridae Sargocentron spiniferum 10 2300 0.40 0.26 Theraponidae Therapon jabua 14 1975 0.56 0.22 Lethrinidae Lethrinus chrysostomus 1 1935 0.04 0.22 Scatophagidae Scatophagus argus 3 1850 0.12 0.21 Lethrinidae Lethrinus rubrioviolaceous 2 1805 0.08 0.20 Kyphosidae Kyphosus cinerascens 2 1705 0.08 0.19 Mugilidae Valamugil cunnesius 1 1610 0.04 0.18 Mullidae Parupeneus barberinus 9 1585 0.36 0.18 Gerridae Gerres oyena 27 1540 1.08 0.17 Sphyraenidae Sphyraena putnamiae 2 1540 0.08 0.17 Lethrinidae Lethrinus miniatus 2 1535 0.08 0.17 Echeneidae Echeneis naucrates 3 1440 0.12 0.16 Mullidae Mulloides vanicolensis 9 1435 0.36 0.16 Mullidae Parupeneus indicus 8 1435 0.32 0.16 Carangidae Megalaspys cordyla 1 1335 0.04 0.15 Lethrinidae Lethrinus xanthochilus 1 1240 0.04 0.14 Haemulidae Plectorhinchus chaetodontoides 3 1220 0.12 0.14 Mullidae Upeneus molucensis 3 1205 0.12 0.14 Serranidae Epinephelus fuscoguttatus 2 1205 0.08 0.14 Lethrinidae Monotaxis grandoculus 3 1185 0.12 0.13 Dasyatididae Taeniura lymna 1 1135 0.04 0.13 Serranidae Plectropomus truncatus 2 1040 0.08 0.12 Carangidae Pseudocaranx dentex 1 1005 0.04 0.11 Sphyraenidae Sphyraena forsteri 2 1000 0.08 0.11 Lutjanidae Lutjanus russelli 6 990 0.24 0.11 Belonidae Belonid sp 1 925 0.04 0.10 Labridae Cheilinus chlorurus 8 905 0.32 0.10 Carangidae Scomberoides melanopterus 1 905 0.04 0.10 Dasyatididae Dasyatis kuhlii 1 880 0.04 0.10 Lutjanidae Lutjanus bohar 2 800 0.08 0.09 Serranidae Epinephelus microdon 2 765 0.08 0.09 Mullidae Upeneus arge 3 730 0.12 0.08 Siganidae Siganus chrysospilos 3 720 0.12 0.08 Leiognathidae Leiognathus equulus 15 715 0.60 0.08 Others Octopus sp 1 690 0.04 0.08 Lethrinidae Lethrinus semisinctus 6 675 0.24 0.08 Lethrinidae Lethrinus microdon 9 670 0.36 0.08 Sphyraenidae Sphyraena obtusa 1 670 0.04 0.08 Ephippidae Platax sp 5 665 0.20 0.07 Serranidae Epinephelus caeruleopunctatus 4 655 0.16 0.07 Family Species Number Weight (g) % Number Carangidae Carangoides ferdau 1 625 0.04 0.07 Scaridae Scarus forsteni 3 620 0.12 0.07 Sphyraenidae Sphyraena flavicauda 2 600 0.08 0.07 Mugilidae Valamugil buchananii 1 580 0.04 0.07 Lutjanidae Macolor niger 1 555 0.04 0.06 Balistidae Rhinecanthus aculeatus 6 540 0.24 0.06 Carangidae Carangichthys oblongus 1 530 0.04 0.06 Mullidae Mulloidichthys flavolineatus 4 505 0.16 0.06 Scaridae Scarus rivulatus 1 505 0.04 0.06 Dasyatididae Dasyatis sephen 1 500 0.04 0.06 Lutjanidae Lutjanus johnii 7 475 0.28 0.05 Holocentridae Neoniphon argentus 6 460 0.24 0.05 Ephippidae Platax teires 2 460 0.08 0.05 Balistidae Pseudobalistes flavimarginatus 1 455 0.04 0.05 Scaridae Scarus altipinnis 3 360 0.12 0.04 Scaridae Scarus bowersi 1 360 0.04 0.04 Scaridae Hipposcarus longiceps 1 355 0.04 0.04 Lutjanidae Lutjanus semisinctus 4 335 0.16 0.04 Lethrinidae Lethrinus ornatus 2 330 0.08 0.04 Scombridae Rastrelliger kanagurta 1 310 0.04 0.03 Balistidae Balistapus undulatus 2 305 0.08 0.03 Serranidae Epinephelus macrospilos 3 245 0.12 0.03 Mugilidae Crenimugil heterocheilos 2 225 0.08 0.03 Lethrinidae Lethrinus sp 1 220 0.04 0.02 Serranidae Epinephelus summana 1 215 0.04 0.02 Acanthuridae Acanthurus xanthopterus 4 160 0.16 0.02 Mullidae Upeneus quadrilineatus 1 160 0.04 0.02 Holocentridae Myripristes kuntee 2 135 0.08 0.02 Siganidae Siganus virgatus 2 135 0.08 0.02 Acanthuridae Naso annulatus 1 135 0.04 0.02 Scaridae Scarus frenatus 1 135 0.04 0.02 Carangidae Gnathanodon speciosus 2 130 0.08 0.01 Acanthuridae Acanthurus mata 1 130 0.04 0.01 Leiognathidae Leiognathus bindus 1 130 0.04 0.01 Siganidae Siganus doliatus 2 125 0.08 0.01 Mullidae Parupeneus multifasciatus 1 110 0.04 0.01 Acanthuridae Acanthurus triostegus 1 100 0.04 0.01 Kuhlidae Kuhlia bilunnulata 1 95 0.04 0.01 Scorpaenidae Synanceia verrucosa 1 95 0.04 0.01 Holocentridae Sargocentron melanospilos 1 80 0.04 0.01 Leiognathidae Gazza minuta 1 80 0.04 0.01 Holocentridae Sargocentron microstoma 1 55 0.04 0.01 Holocentridae Myripristis violaceus 1 50 0.04 0.01 Holocentridae Neoniphon sammara 1 50 0.04 0.01 Acanthuridae Acanthurus nigricauda 1 35 0.04 0.00

Total 2508 891328 100.00 100.00