swing into this particular stretch of Co-operative Crayfish coast, and taking the crayfish with it. Catching Industry Indications are that the crayfish is not normally carnivorous, but while on the deep reefs they have been caught in (Kairuku, Territory of Papua and ) bottom set nets, in clusters around netted fish or shark, and obviously feeding. To By I. W. Wiseman* date, extensive cray-pot trials have not been possible; small-scale testing has been Word-of-mouth chronicle records that there has always been mostly unsuccessful, a catch of three or four crays in the one pot being the ex­ a quite erratic influx of the green "painted crayfish," common ception, and the big majority completely to -many tropical waters, into the Kairuku area during the empty. (Although, once, crew members north-west monsoon season. This unusual occurrence has of a Fisheries Division survey boat on a prawn trawl in the area, were most sur­ caused much interest and spasmodic investigation, and has been prised to bring up a large number of the source of lucrative trade and sumptuous feasting for the crayfish in the net.) coastal village people near Yule , which lies about 70 During the day the more enterprising miles west of on the south-east swing of the villagers take their canoes out and dive Gulf of Vapua. To the west of Yule Island there is a long for crayfish into about 18 feet of water, pulling them from coral holes and ledges. stretch of coastline with numerous high output rivers causing At night, when the crayfish move on heavy and continuous silting, with the result that there is very the high tide to the very shallow reef, the little growing inshore. villagers are able to catch them by hand. They use pressure lamps, torches, and From Yule Island eastwards the rivers are much smaller and coconut-frond flares as they wade over the reefs collecting the crayfish, which silt-up far less, so that the stretch for about 25 miles to they load alive into dugout canoes. Those the next large silt area, at Galley Reach, is amply endowed with that escape retreat back into deeper water new inshore coral reefs, attractive to crayfish. with the outgoing tide.

N MOST north-west monsoon seasons, it would seem that the crayfish move Before Co-operative Marketing between December and March and I on to the offshore reefs in deep water any The people of Port Moresby keenly until about early May, anything from time after the change of the south-east small to vast numbers of the "painted anticipate the influx of crayfish from the wind from August to October, and re­ Yule Island area each January. For crayfish" move on to the very shallow main there for a time. The numbers coral reefs. No-one has yet been able to many years, the Kairuku people have which move on to the deep water reefs packed live crayfish in woven coconut- ascertain where they come from or why are perhaps related to the numbers which they come, why in some years they appear palm frond baskets or in the continually appear later on the shallow inshore reefs. dampened hulls of their canoes for trans­ in hundreds of thousands and in others The movement of the crays on to the in­ only in hundreds. Why do they move on port to Port Moresby, for sale or barter. shore reefs is apparently controlled by a In recent years the price has varied from to this particular stretch of coastline and violent north-west blow in conjunction nowhere else in comparable numbers? about A.3s. 0d.-6s. Od. each for crayfish with the highest tides of the month. This between 2 and 4 lb. weight. The market suggests that the movement might be From the scanty information available, was sometimes glutted; the fishermen related to the set of a current of different- then had either to give away some of temperature water—possibly carrying their catch or dump it. * Assistant Registrar of Co-operative Societies crayfish food—being influenced by the (Papua Region). big wind and tides and causing it to In 1960, following investigations by the Administration's Fisheries Division and attempts to help with the marketing of crayfish, the Registry of Co-operative Societies was asked to assist in the organization of a crayfish marketing co­ operative. Meetings were organized by the Co­ operatives Officer stationed at Kairuku, to advise and assist the 19 co-operative societies already operating in the cray­ fishing and other adjacent areas. After a series of discussion meetings held in eight villages it was decided to form a co-operative fishing society, to raise share capital from all interested persons in the area, to buy a crayfish cooker and a freezer, and to market both cooked crayfish and any other available fish. The Fisheries Division had already established that there were economic quantities of mullet and other Left—The factory at low tide. Right—The new factory is completely vermin proof marketable fish in the region.

Page 26 SOUTH PACIFIC BULLETIN, FIRST QUARTER, 1966 The Kairuku Fishing Society Ltd. This Society was duly formed and registered as a corporate body under the Native Economic Development Ordinance of the Territory, but difficulties soon be­ came apparent. Other than the potential from the sea, the area is economically poor, with in­ different soils and a very pronounced south-east dry season. The people live on a high standard subsistence agriculture supplemented by fish and crayfish, but their cash income is restricted to the pro­ ceeds of sales of very small quantities of copra, some garden produce sold in Port Left—Freshly cooked crayfish are being drained at the old freezer. Right—Crayfish being delivered Moresby, and the seasonal trade in cray­ to the Fisheries Research Vessel "Tagula," during a special production-potential test in the 1963-4 fish. season.

The staff of the Registry of Co­ members worked, they only worked spas­ able to store and market large quantities, operative Societies realized that capitaliza­ modically and in small numbers. The nor was there ready contact with large tion would be a problem, but promises freezer continually gave trouble, causing numbers of fishermen. made by prospective members in the high maintenance expenses. pre-formation meetings indicated that It was obvious very early in the season sufficient capital would be forthcoming The members did not want to cut their that the facilities of the Society and all from accumulated savings to finance the losses and wind up the Society; they previous concepts of its potential in a requirements of the Society. wanted to hang on for another year. At good season were far from adequate. In When capital subscriptions were called, the expense of a great deal of energy, order to plan for the future, it was the response was far from adequate and and because the Kairuku Co-operative essential that the potential be definitely the Registry staff was faced with a major Association agreed to continue to give its established, because with the Society problem of whether to proceed with, or financial support, the Society was kept forced to stop buying when its freezer to abandon the project. alive. was full, members were controlling both their catch and their input to the Society, By July, 1961, only sufficient capital In the next year, in spite of their ex­ with the result that no real indication had been subscribed to buy a crayfish pressed intention to make general fishing of possible quantities was available. cooker, to make a deposit on a small an economic proposition, the members freezer, and to provide some working barely produced enough fish to pay for A near-maximum catch test was finally funds. the fuel for the freezer engine. The possible when the Fisheries Division made crayfish run of 1962-63 produced only The Co-operatives Officer at Kairuku the large freezer available in their sur­ around 10,000 crayfish, and operations vey vessel the FRV Tagula. held meetings in the widely scattered were bad due to freezer breakdowns, villages interested in the Society and re­ poor transportation, and indifferent Close contact of the Co-operatives ceived their assurances that they would management. These setbacks and the Officer with the members was utilized subscribe capital when they received very low market selling price further in­ to organize the test, which proved a money from the sale of crayfish in the creased the Society's losses. major success. In a 12-hour period from next season. 9 p.m. to 9 a.m., the Society purchased 1,200 crayfish. The next crayfish season was to occur The Third Year in a few months' time and it was im­ Subsequent checks by the Co­ perative that a decision be made so The 1963-64 crayfish season, however, operatives Officer and the Fisheries Offi­ that the Society could be ready to operate. was a successful one. cer in the villages and along the reefs With the assurances of the members to Because of the lack of capital support proved that this was not a "freak" night. support their Society and to contribute in the previous seasons, the Board of Crayfish were present in abundance from capital when they were paid, plus the Directors decided not to take any risks, mid-January until early April, when financial assistance of the Kairuku and ruled that a percentage levy from the quantities fell off, and by early May Association of Native Societies Ltd., it purchase price of crayfish be paid to capi­ they were not worth handling. was decided to go ahead with the project. tal. When the test had established the A cooker and a secondhand 200-cubic- Unfortunately, the Society's freezer was large numbers available and these, with foot freezer were purchased and installed again quickly in trouble. Without any the stock already held in the Society's in a small building on Yule Island, the special organization, its small capacity freezer were put on the market, buyers best location for movement of produce was full in two or three days, and buying with freezer capacity to hold them would to market, although distant from several had to be stopped until stocks could be take only small quantities. Although the of the member villages. shipped to market. The only freezer boat marketing problem was eventually solved, The 1961-62 crayfish season, however, was utilized when available, as well as it highlighted the necessity for freezer was a complete failure, with uneconomic air freight and air charters; but the air­ storage in Port Moresby. quantities appearing on the reefs; the strip, having a grass surface, and this Society was immediately in deep financial being the rainy season, quite often—and All crayfish were cooked whole for the trouble. at the worst possible times with the local market, but as there was a storage/ freezer full—air transport was not avail­ marketing problem, plus the fact that In the off-season of 1962, the Co­ able. volume was sufficient to consider the ex­ operatives Officer and an officer from the port of crayfish tails, existing procedures Fisheries Division tried to organize regu­ Organized trials had not previously were completely reorganized to obtain lar net fishing by some of the members, been made of the possible volume of maximum usage from the small freezer but although catches were good when the catches because facilities were not avail­ by processing tails only.

SOUTH PACIFIC BULLETIN, FIRST QUARTER, 1966 Page 27 ful results from sales on the export market The crayfish run in the large Western on the conservative expectation of 50,000 Australian crayfish-producing areas was crayfish, and every attempt was to be very good and prices received by pro­ made to keep capital expenditure as low ducers there for the export market in­ as possible. creased several times during the season. In April, 1965, the F.O.B. price for ex­ After lengthy negotiations the absolute port reached the amazing price of minimum in finance required was made 20s. Od. per lb. for premium-grade tails. available, and the Society proceeded to set up its new establishment, completing The 1964-5 season in Kairuku was a it before the 1964-5 crayfish run began. complete failure; the Society was able to handle in the vicinity of 2,000 crayfish Almost the entire organizational and only, with a "break-even" production managerial responsibility, as well as level of 30,000 required on a 12s. Od. plenty of hard physical labour, had to per lb. F.O.B. sales budget. The quantity The last of a lest catch is being cooked on the be borne by 22-year-old Australian Co­ was too small and was purchased over "Tagula." operatives Officer, Mr Warren Williams. a lengthy period which made it impossible He was ably assisted by the Chairman of to market the crayfish overseas, and they the Society, Mr Henry Obi, and the The Society did not have the necessary had, therefore, to be sold on the low-price Board of Directors. Many of the mem­ "know-how," so it entered into an agree­ local market. bers participated as paid labour and all of ment with a businessman experienced in the construction work was done by local tails processing and marketing to dispose The Society incurred shattering losses, people. Only technical, electrical, and of the catch in the last part of the as its high overheads were geared to refrigeration installation was done by season. This arrangement worked quite large-scale production. It is now a life- outside contractors. satisfactorily. Tails were sold to the pro­ and-death struggle to try to keep the cessor at a forced price, much below the Society alive in the expectation of a real market price, so that although the good season next year. With current high Society fared satisfactorily from the world prices expected to continue, the arrangement, it was not as good as it Society only needs a moderate catch of could have been. around 30,000 crayfish to get out of its difficulties and put itself on a sound The Society purchased over 20,000 financial footing where it can enter into crayfish in the season, but only 10,000 action on long-range plans. These include of these were handled by cooking in the entry into general fishing on a relatively first three-quarters of the period. The large scale, prawning vessels, and a evidence showed that had it been systematized attack on the early season "geared" in freezer storage, etc., the crayfish in deep water with special gear, Society could have handled upwards of which is beyond the scope of the people 100,000 crayfish for the high priced and the Society at present. U.S.A. tails export market. Instead, it had only cleared most of The Society exists in a subsistence area its previous losses and improved its capi­ with a cash income totalling not more tal structure; but it was still financially than £10 per head of population per weak. annum, excluding crayfish income. The members are apparently content with this income, even though their new freezer The Fourth Year lies empty and inactive from lack of fish Officers of the Registry of Co-operative The Chairman of the Society, Mr Henry Obi, and the Society is losing money keeping Societies made an assessment of future with Director, Mr Bera Baupua, who is also its old, small freezer going at a fraction possibilities for the Society and presented Chairman of the Kairuku Federation of Native of capacity. Societies Ltd., on the opening day of the new it to the members, who decided to apply factory and freezer. The members have the facilities, nets, to lending institutions for sufficient canoes, spare time, and fish available, finance to set up a large-capacity pro­ but they appear lacking in the will and cessing and freezing establishment. This The factory is powered by a 25 KVA generator unit driving two refrigeration the need to work. Many have been dis­ factory would meet the requirements of couraged by breakdowns in the freezers the Territory's Export (Fish) Regula­ units, a blast-freeze room capable of reducing 250 lb. of crayfish tails to (a problem that has only just been recti­ tions and would be capable of handling fied). a catch of 100,000 crayfish per season. 18°F. in one hour, and a storage room It was budgeted to achieve very success- which will hold 20,000 lb. at not greater than 5°F. The future relies upon the occurrence of the crayfish, the production problems Freezer attendants with cooked products for sale Negotiations were entered into, and associated with the influences of sorcery, on the local market. arrangements completed, for the Terri­ and the ease and holiday-like atmosphere tory's central co-operative body, the associated with the work. The crays are Federation of Native Associations Ltd., certain to run at some time, unless off­ to erect a suitable freezing establishment shore geophysical oil-search blasting, in Port Moresby to store produce—par­ which only began last season, interferes ticularly crayfish—from the Kairuku with the peculiar migration. Fishing Society Ltd. prior to marketing. The Society enables Papuans who are This overcame chaotic hand-to-mouth prepared to work five hours a day in a marketing with buyers offering whatever good crayfish season to earn at least prices they liked, and with the Society £25 per day, and the industry could be being forced to sell prior to delivery and worth well over £A.80,000 per season immediately upon arrival. for the area.

Page 28 SOUTH PACIFIC BBULLETIN , FIRST QUARTER, 1966