Micronesian Fishing Is Published by The

MICRONESIAN Journal of FISHING Fall 2009

Successes and challenges of community-based marine protected areas

INSIDE: Tuna Fishing on Saipan: A Look Back How Old is that Fish?, Fishermen Talking Story and More (Above) A military government fishing boat prepares to offload its catch of skipjack tuna, circa 1946. Photo courtesy of the U.S. National Archives.

Journal of Micronesian Fishing is published by the

PACIFIC MARINE RESOURCES INSTITUTE (PMRI) PMB 1156 PO BOX 10003 SAIPAN MP, 96950

PMRI is a locally incorporated, non- profit environmental organization based in Saipan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

It is dedicated to working in partnership with Pacific nations, states, and communities to assess, monitor, and manage their precious biological resources for sustainable use.

page 2 CONTENTS

MICRONESIANJournal of FISHING

Cover Photo: Dedication of surveillance platform by the Nimpal Zone communities - July 10, 2009 Photo Courtesy of Nimpal Project

Editors: John Starmer Peter Houk

Contributing Authors: Berna Gorong Scott Russell Sharing the success and challenges of community- Charles Birkeland based marine protected areas in Nimpal, Yap/PAGE 8 Jeff Eble

Page Designer: Lisa Huynh Eller How old is that fish?/ This journal was prepared by PMRI PAGE 5 under award NA07NMF4630113 from NOAA Coral Editor’s Perspective/ Reef Conservation PAGE 4 Program, U.S. Department of Commerce. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the Fishermen Talking authors and do not necessarily reflect Story/PAGE 6 the views of the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program or the U.S. Department of Commercial Tuna Fishing From Catch to Kitchen/ Commerce. on Saipan: A Look Back/ PAGE 13 Printed by Elite Printing, in Saipan, CNMI PAGE 11

page 3 EDITOR’S PERSPECTIVE: MARINE CONSERVATION

For numerous years now, scientists have been reporting that reserves, also commonly identified as Marine Pro- tected Areas, or MPA’s, are necessary, but not sufficient for marine conserva- (Above) Editor’s Perspective author, tion. This expresses the philosophy Charles Birkeland. Photo courtesy of shared by many Pacific Island societies Charles Birkeland. (Right) Herbivo- that encompass a traditional, ecosys- rous fish at work. Photo courtesy of tem-level approach towards managing John Starmer. resources. Although it is essential to establish reserves, further measures to reduce overfishing and pollution are the ability of coral to grow and reefs bylaws. Indonesia, Philippines, Papua necessary to best prepare our coral to form (25% reduction in the past 50 New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands reef ecosystems from two major cas- years). However, the reefs are doing have decentralized resource manage- cading stressors: 1) CO2 input into the fine. Herbivorous reef fishes are abun- ment authority, empowering local atmosphere, and 2) economic demands dant because in 1990, the Bermuda communities to take the lead role. of a growing human population. Both Chamber of Commerce convinced the Inside this issue we learn of a similar represent ratchets, or self-reinforcing government to take measures that pro- story on Yap Island where traditional mechanisms that build upon them- tected parrotfish and other herbivores. leaders are taking the initiative, and selves. empowering the community, to adapt In July of last year, the 11th Interna- to the main stressors described above. Herbivorous fish and urchins are key. tional Coral Reef Symposium (with However, what does the future hold for Science continues to report that with- over 3,000 coral-reef scientists from the rest of Yap and Micronesia? out sufficient grazing by herbivores, 75 countries) gave a Call to Action for reef assemblages take much longer a worldwide ban of the harvesting of Over the years I recall several Mi- times to recover from natural distur- herbivorous reef fishes for sale and cronesians stating, “The resources of bance cycles, or may not even recover commercial consumption in an effort our island do not belong to us, we are at all. An example of how traditional to enhance coral-reef resilience in borrowing them from our children and knowledge and management incor- the face of climate change and ocean our future generations”. The bottom porates these concepts comes from acidification. line is that, yes, there is a need to im- Tommy Remengesau, the Vice Presi- prove our global focus upon reducing dent of Palau at the time of the exten- Together, Micronesian societies must CO2 emissions and the demands that sive and severe coral bleaching event encourage greater responsibility in larger human populations encompass. of 1997/98. He placed a request in the managing reef resources. Political While maintaining a vision of these Palauan newspaper to the citizens, ask- will and motivation for responsible large-scale ratchets, local actions must ing them to reduce or stop their take management can be restored when the be taken to increase the number and ef- of herbivorous fishes during this criti- local community is given authority to fectiveness of marine reserves, reduce cal time. In this way, the citizens of make management decisions. Over the sedimentation, overfishing, and pollu- Palau were asked to make a broad-scale past few years on some Pacific islands tion. This will best be accomplished effort to facilitate coral recruitment there has been a restoration of com- through empowering management and recovery. The Palauan reefs looked munity-based resource management decisions at the local level. very well recovered in 2005. and resistance to global economic domination. Vanuatu recognizes cus- - CHARLES BIRKELAND A similar process occurred in Bermuda tomary marine tenure of villages in Adjunct Associate Professor where extremely high uptake of CO2 its constitution. Independent Samoa Department of Zoology, in the North Atlantic has decreased recognizes village regulations as legal University of Hawaii at Manoa page 4 How old is that Naso unicornis? BY Jeff A. Eble

I was astonished by what we had just found: a 58 year old blue spine unicornfish! For the past several months we’ve been working with Hawaii’s Division of Aquatic Resources to learn more about unicornfish including how fast they grow, when they become sexually mature, and how long they live. We knew some fish, like California’s orange roughy, can live to be over 100 years old but we didn’t know what to expect for this popular fish since so few tropical species have been studied.

Come to find out, our 58 year old (Above) sub-adult blue spine unicornfish. Photo courtesy of Keoki Stender*; unicornfish wasn’t alone. Out of the (Below) Prepared section of an otolith from a 25-year-old unicornfish. Photo nearly 200 fish that we looked at we courtesy of Jeff Eble. found another that was 51 years old and a dozen that were in their 30s, all Professor Charles Birkeland has high- of them collected commercially off lighted recent research indicating “older windward Oahu. fish produce exponentially more eggs”. As an example Birkeland pointed to In a way, fish are like trees; you can trevally where one 27-inch female will tell how old they are by counting their produce as many eggs as eighty-six 14- rings. Every year as temperature and inch fish. And it’s not just that one big food availability changes with the sea- fish will produce more eggs than a boat- sons, a pattern of dark and light bands full of small fish; Dr. Birkeland noted form within the fish’s ear bones. These that they also produce better eggs that bones are called “otoliths” and while But here’s where it gets tricky. While in turn leads to larvae that grow faster they are designed to help the fish hear, male and female unicornfish grow at and have a higher chance of survival. they also can help scientists discover more or less the same rate, they don’t how many years it will take for a fish to mature at the same age. Males are gen- So what does this all mean? A recent reach its maximum size. erally ready to spawn by the time they survey of twenty-five different kinds of are 4 years old but females mature more marine fishes found that a population This is important because fish tend slowly and aren’t ready to spawn until will produce more young and therefore to have a maximum size, after which they are 7 or 8 years old, which equals sustain more fishing if it is made up of they generally stop growing. Instead about a 15-inch fork length. big old fish rather than lots of smaller of getting longer, they usually just fish that have less reproductive capac- get fatter, kind of like us humans. For Luckily, not all reef fishes take so long ity. Their conclusion-- if we want a unicornfish, the maximum size appears to mature. Drs. Alan Friedlander and sustainable fishery we should aim for to be around 20-inches from tip ot the Paul Dalzell reported that giant trevally the mid-sized fishes and let the really nose to middle of the tail, a measure- will first spawn at 3.5 years and that big ones go. ment called fork length. It will take an blue-fin trevally are ready to spawn as average unicornfish about 6 or 7 years early as 2 years. One thing trevally and This work was supported by the Hawaii Divi- before they reach 14-inches fork length unicornfish do have in common is that sion of Aquatic Resources and the Fisheries and 15 years before they reach their Local Action Strategy. Funding was provided as they grow bigger they spawn more by the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration maximum size. frequently and produce more eggs per Program. *Photo credit: www.marinelife- spawning event. photography.com page 5 Fishermen Talking Story

Interview with Roman C. Benavente

Fisherman from Saipan

INTERVIEWED BY PETER HOUK

Who taught you:

Dad – Dad was fishermen, farmer, and some governmental-job income. Been fishing with my father, myself, and now my kids for nearly 40 years. I (Above and Right opposite page) Roman Benavente Talaya fishing at Laolao learned by going out with my dad and Bay. Photos courtesy of David Benavente. just quietly watching and learning, and doing what I was told. This is the school of rabbitfish, each 12” similar to the way I taught my kids. What was your personal fishing practice long, was aggregated together. I had of choice: a 14’ and a ~10’ net both. I saw this What types of fishing did you mainly do huge school coming over from far with your dad: Currently, my primary fishing tech- away, about 14’ in diameter, and the nique is throwing net “Talaya”. I like line of fish seemed to continue forev- In the beginning we were focused it, it’s a sport, I feel relaxed while do- er. I positioned myself in the channel upon all kinds of fishing – nets, ing it, you have to learn patience and to block it, then cocked my big net. spears, night, day. One unique style skill. Its like a stress reliever for me. of fishing we practiced was called Once they were close enough I tossed ‘Sulu’. This is when you go out and the net, which open up to a 28’ diam- get a bamboo, break the ‘inbetweens’, eter….the entire thing was filled with and fill it up with kerosene to make a “I have seen the consistent black! The remaining school didn’t torch. This was very traditional, we decrease in the amount and even run that far, they just seemed to only did this at the extreme low tides regroup and head again towards me. when no moon was out. sizes of fish being caught since the 1990’s. ” I continued to block the channel, and I think the knowledge surrounding cocked my smaller net….the entire when to use this technique has been thing was again filled with black. My mostly lost. cousin and I were killing and pick- Can you think of a time when an out- ing fish from the net from 4 p.m. If there was unwanted texture on standing catch was made: until well beyond dark, altogether the water while searching for fish you ~300 lbs in two net throws. I never would chew coconut and spit onto the About 5-7 years ago. Out in the front experienced anything like that in my water, and the oil would smooth the beach near San Antonio village, out lifetime. water and enhance our sight of the on the reef crest. For some reason fish. page 6 Do you sell your fish: “I like it, it’s a sport, I feel relaxed while doing it, you Just about all the time I do not, and have to learn patience and skill. Its like a stress reliever have not, sold fish. I prefer to pass it out to my family because it tastes best for me.” when its fresh.

Have you noticed change over time in One of the major problems with our your fishing spots and catches: What type of management do you think local fishing industry here is that would best help our fishery resources: I think some people are still using I have seen the consistent decrease SCUBA to catch more than their in the amount and sizes of fish being Well the protected areas do a good share of our fish. caught since the 1990’s. The rab- job of improving our stocks in the bitfish, some surgeonfish, and adult specific location, but there is no access I think enforcement has to be more goatfish are two that are most notice- for fishermen, and we are not seeing strict to manage that concern. Also, able. more fish on surrounding reefs, so of perhaps consider limiting the sizes of course not everybody is happy. So, the fish people are catching. This change was most pronounced be- perhaps create rotational protected tween the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. areas whereby seasonal harvesting One positive example is the gill net Some of the strongly seasonal fish, can be conducted, and then the areas ban. Ever since fish and wildlife such as ‘Tataga’, or unicorn fish, you will be closed for the remainder of the banned the gill nets it has helped a still can catch, but you have to know year. little to improve our stocks, that is the time, tide, season, and moonphase. what I see. I attribute this to the increase in net Any other comments or problems you see fishing, not just the ‘Talaya’ fishermen with our fishery: We need more beneficial management. (thrown nets), but the long nets too. Sharing the success and challenges of community-based marine protected areas Nimpal Community, Yap

BY Berna Gorong alone was no longer able to protect taken by the two villages to publicly the fishing grounds. announce their decision, and have Over the years, fishermen from Okaw the village chiefs officially sign the and Kaday villages, that together So in 2005 during one of the men’s Nimpal Channel Marine Conservation encompass the Nimpal community, village meeting it was highlighted Area Declaration. watershed, and channel, observed that if the situation continues and a decline in the abundance of fish nothing is done to address it, future Despite the official demarcation, it has within their traditionally-owned fish- generations will no longer have any- not been easy to gain the full support ing grounds. As the years and discus- thing left in their fishing grounds to of the fishermen in the community. sions rolled by, the observed decline sustain them. It was decided to look continued. outside the communities for viable When the conservation zone was first mitigation solutions. demarcated in 2006 there were still Clearly the community fishing reports of fishing, evidenced by the grounds were being fished out. But In 2006 with the technical assistance lights in the MPA at night. Certainly what was the main problem? The of the Yap Community Action Pro- the buoys were hard to see at night, root is the decaying of traditional gram and their partners, an effective however, no one in the community practices and norms. Traditionally, design for a conservation area was was taking it upon themselves to regulations existed for all community agreed upon by the Okaw and Kaday patrol the area at night. Even though members that dictated where and villages that included the Nimpal a village decision was passed down, when fishing could occur and the type Channel and adjoining inner and there were still a few within the com- of fishing methods that could be used. outer reefs. This area accounts for ap- munities who try their luck since they proximately 77.5 hectares, or a about know no one was really patrolling the Nowadays everyone who has the a third of the two villages traditional area. The community did not own a means and desire to fish does so as fishing grounds put together. The boat or other means to fully observe they like. Even further, community area was designated by the communi- and enforce the no-take policy. members are no longer just fishing for ties as a no-take zone until such time personal consumption or community that the communities so decide to Although small grant funding se- obligations; but rather the fish being change the status. cured in 2006 was used to get our taken from the fishing grounds are of- actions this far, the funds were not ten sold to earn an income. Tradition In May 2008, an official step was page 8 enough to support the procurement (Above) Dedication of surveillance platform by the Nimpal Zone communities - of an enforcement boat. Yap is a small July 10, 2009 - Photo courtesy of Nimpal Project; (Below) An aerial view of the island community and most fishermen marine protected area. - Photo courtesy of Peter Houk. know who owns boats and where they are located. An MPA area without an enforcement and reporting boat assigned to it is open invitation for poachers.

Over the next two years the MPA continued to gain community support, however the occasional poachers were persistent but infrequent. Despite the low level of poaching, within two years of the community closure fishermen were already talking about a positive effect in regards to the fish being caught in the surrounding areas, and the joint community-YapCAP monitoring data supports that fish are returning to the MPA, statistically so.

Striving for complete closure of their MPA from fishing, the community group was able to secure a grant from nimpal community mpa continued ON page 10

page 9 nimpal community mpa work is not done. Changing lifestyles continued from page 9 However, the community group con- within the community is an issue tinues to search for means to acquire that needs to be addressed since it is the Conservation and Environmental a boat to support surveillance and directly linked to the root cause. Protection Program (Funded by the enforcement activities. European Union and administered by In retrospect, we often wondered As people continue becoming more the Micronesia Conservation Trust) why some MPA’s around Yap and dependent on a cash economy to sup- to support surveillance and enforce- other Micronesian Islands where our port their lifestyle, many will continue ment in 2008. families live, work, and some don’t to exploit the only available resources seem to. to them to get cash. With the funding, the community has been able to: Educating our community as to the “The root (of our problem) consequences of these new lifestyles 1. Build a surveillance platform that is the decaying of tradition- is something that looms big for can be moored near the zone for sur- traditional leadership to undertake. veillance teams. al practices and norms.” Creating alternative income generation activities that are environmen- 2. Activate joint-community sur- tally sustainable is one ongoing effort veillance teams to monitor the site, We believe the design of the conser- that helps. especially at night when more fishing vation area is a preliminary key for activities took place, and effectiveness to be achieved. Times are changing and our people’s needs and mindsets are changing. 3. Install solar lanterns on the cor- But equally important is the com- Active community leadership with a ners of the no-take zone to improve munity commitment to the decisions vision and community cohesiveness is visibility of the closed area at night. made, as long as community support vital. and leadership remains, conserva- This helped reduce the chance of tion efforts will continue to succeed. (Below) Two communities working unintentional intrusion by community Keeping everybody informed and together to build a surveillance plat- fishermen fishing at night and it also involved was our ultimate key to suc- form. (Opposite page) Nimpal MCA improved monitoring of the site by cess. Core Group during monthly project community surveillance teams. implementation meetings.- Photos However, we are well aware that our courtesy of Nimpal Project.

page 10 Commercial Tuna Fishing on Saipan: A Look Back

BY SCOTT RUSSELL (Above) Fishermen work a school of skipjack tuna circa June 1945. Photo courtesy of the U.S. National Archives. Most people will tell you that commercial tuna fishing started on Saipan ing gear, and a spot on shore where the necessary financial resources to in the 1970s with the advent of the tuna could be processed. These significantly expand the industry. fiberglass boats and outboard engines. pioneering fishermen were aided Only a few elderly residents who by financial subsidies offered by the By the late 1930s, Saipan’s fishing grew up during the Japanese adminis- Japanese colonial administration as a fleet comprised a dozen diesel-pow- tration know that commercial fishing part of the government’s efforts to ered fishing boats measuring roughly actually began just after World War stimulate economic development in 60 feet long and 12 feet wide. These I, and that the equipment and tech- the newly acquired territory. wooden craft weighed about 20 tons niques originally employed were much empty and were fitted with retractable different than those used today. For the first ten years or so these in- masts that could be used in cases of dependent fishermen had the industry engine failure. The fleet was main- The industry was established by to themselves, but by the mid-1930s tained by professional shipwrights Okinawan fishermen who migrated to they were eclipsed by a number of who were employed by the fishing Saipan in the early 1920s, only a few companies which became involved in companies that were based in Gara- years after the Northern Mariana Is- commercial fishing on a more sub- pan, Saipan’s principal settlement. lands had been awarded to Japan as a stantial scale. The largest among part of a League of Nations mandate. these were Nankō (South Seas De- Although there was some long line Fishing was an attractive business for velopment Company), Nambō (South fishing for Yellowfin, the bulk of the hardworking men of modest means in Seas Trading Company) and the catch was made up of skipjack tuna depression-ravaged Okinawa because Nan’yō Bussan (South Seas Products (Katsuwonus pelamis) called katsuo in it did not require a large outlay of Company). These companies were at- capital to get started. All a group tracted by the NMI’s untapped marine Commercial Tuna needed was a wooden boat, basic fish- resources and were prepared to invest continued ON page 12 page 11 (Above) A diver plunges into rough waters to set an anchor line. Photo courtesy of the U.S. National Archives.

Japanese. A typical day of katsuo fish- With sufficient bait on board, the also possessed a series of nozzles that ing started at 2:00 a.m. when a boat captain set course for the fishing sprayed water onto the surface of the headed out to capture anchovy bait- grounds, the best of which were ocean to encourage the fish to con- fish (Engraulididae) that congregated located 10-40 miles to the west and tinue feeding. in waters along cliff-fringed stretches north of Saipan. Once a flock of An experienced fisherman was ca- of Tinian and Saipan. This danger- birds was located, the boat maneu- pable of catching nine to twelve tuna ous task was carried out by loincloth- vered across the head of the school per minute when the run was at its clad divers, equipped with only a pair and a team of men dipped anchovies height. Although the action rarely of eye goggles, who swam along the from the bait tank and threw them lasted for more than an hour, on a rugged coastline in search of anchovy into the water near the boat to attract good day the boat’s crew might bring schools. and hold the fish. in two tons of tuna during that pe- riod. With a full hold, the boat would Once a suitable school was located, Katsuo were caught by up to 14 head for home. Upon entering the the divers anchored their boat paral- fishermen, equipped with bamboo harbor, the crew ran up large colored lel to land by a pair of ropes that they poles, who were positioned along flags emblazoned with Japanese char- secured to rocks atop tide shelves both sides of the gunwales and at the acters to signal the size of their catch. that were often swept by large waves. stern. They used feathered hooks at These same skillful divers then de- first when the excited tuna struck at While some tuna were sold to markets ployed a large net from the side of anything in the bait-filled water and and restaurants, the bulk of the catch the boat which was used to haul in the then switched to barbed hooks baited was processed for export to Japan bait. Anchovies trapped inside the net with anchovies once the initial feeding as katsuobushi (dried, fermented tuna were carefully scooped up in buckets frenzy waned. These men, who fished fillet). This required that the fish be and placed in bait tanks located amid- from a seated position, routinely held cleaned, boned and boiled, and then ships. several extra anchovies in their lips to dried and smoked for several weeks. speed the baiting process. Most boats The finished product was a rock-hard

page 12 block of fish, the shavings of which were used by Japanese housewives in soup and as a topping on boiled veg- etables. Katsuobushi from Micronesia gained a reputation in Japan for its superior quality, and by the late 1930s it ranked among the top export items from the Nan’yō Guntō (Japan’s South Sea Islands).

Although sugar cane agriculture gen- erated the bulk of export revenues in the Northern Mariana Islands, by the late 1930s fishing had become an important industry in its own right. Saipan’s fishing fleet brought in 25 tons of tuna a day during the prime season and employed several hundred workers including boat crew, shipwrights, and factory workers. By this time, larger fishing vessels, based in Japanese ports, were also exploit- ing the region’s substantial marine resources. These boats would spend weeks fishing to the north of Saipan before returning home with their holds full of tuna.

War came to the Pacific in December (Above) Divers deploy the bait net near a school of anchovies. (Below) 1941 following the Japanese attack Returning with the day’s catch. Photos courtesy of the U.S. National on the American naval base at Pearl Archives. Harbor. During the early years of ing the heavy bombardment of the ing thousands of internees proved to the war, the Saipan’s commercial island that preceded the American be a challenge as most of the food had tuna fleet was able to continue fairly amphibious assault on 15 June 1944. to be procured locally. In an effort to normal operations. This came to an provide adequate protein, the military abrupt end following the American Japanese and local civilians who government decided to resurrect the air attacks launched against Saipan survived the savage three-week battle fishing industry, albeit on a much in February and April 1944. Saipan’s for Saipan were placed in internment reduced scale. fleet was subsequently destroyed dur- camps run by the U.S. military. Feed- The first task was to re-float sunken fishing boats scattered in the shallow waters off Puntan Muchot. Several damaged hulks were taken to the military shipyard where they were repaired and refitted with new Ameri- can diesel engines. The reconditioned fleet operated out of the Military Government Fishing Base established just south of the old Japanese government pier in Garapan. This base consisted of an office building, cleaning

Commercial Tuna continued ON page 14

page 13 Commercial Tuna continued from page 13 shed and a small rubble pier that the Navy constructed to accommodate the fishing boats.

Daily operations were nearly identi- cal to the pre-war routine. The only difference was that the fishermen now took their orders from a young American naval officer who served as the Officer-in-Charge of fishing. The fresh tuna brought in by the boats was a welcome addition to the camp diet that for the first few months following the battle had consisted primarily of canned foods.

In 1946 all Japanese nationals on Saipan were repatriated to their home islands. That same year a group of Carolinian men who were employed by the naval administration as police- men established a cooperative which was named the Saipan Fishing Com- (Above) Crewman throws baitfish into the water to keep skipjack tuna near boat. pany. The cooperative operated out (Below) Headquarters of the Saipan Fishing Company circa 1946. Photos cour- of the former Military Fishing Base tesy of the U.S. National Archives. in Garapan and had at its disposal two reconditioned pre-war Japanese fishing boats and two small naval landing craft. Most of the Carolinian coop members had received training from the Okinawan fishermen before their repatriation and utilized pre-war techniques for catching tuna.

Skipjack tuna comprised roughly 80 percent of the cooperative’s catch. The remainder included mackerel (atuli) and a variety species caught within the reef. The fish were sold to local markets and the remainder was Fishing Company, fishing on Saipan “Fishing Base” still used by locals to exported to Guam. The cooperative reverted to a traditional subsistence refer to the Garapan dock. continued operations until 1950 when level undertaken largely within the bankruptcy forced its dissolution. A fringing reef. Commercial tuna fish- Although their deeds may be forgot- number of problems led to this end ing would not re-emerge for another ten, the spirit of these bygone fisher- including reoccurring mechanical quarter-century until the advent of men is kept alive by a new generation problems with the old Japanese boats, the modern tourist economy. of anglers that works hard to keep a lack of managerial expertise, and Saipan supplied with tasty treats from the inability to get fish to the major Today, the only reminders of these the sea. markets on Guam. early days of commercial fishing on Saipan are a few faded photographs, Following the failure of the Saipan the ruins of the old pier, and the name page 14 FromContributed Catch by Trina to LebererKitchen adapted from the book “Taste of the Pacific” by Susan Parkinson, Peggy Stacy, and Adrian Mattinson”

Kokoda (from Fiji)

Ingredients: A pound or so of yellowfin, wahoo, mahi, or whatever firm fish you like best cut into small cubes Lemon or lime (or calamansi, etc.) juice enough to cover the fish. Marinate overnight in the refrigerator

Add: One medium-sized onion, finely chopped Tomatoes and cucumbers, diced (amount to taste) Hot peppers (to taste) Salt and pepper (to taste)

Chill for at least an hour for the flavors to blend, the longer the better.

WORKING WITH THE MICRONESIAN FISHING JOURNAL

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PACIFIC MARINE RESOURCES INSTITUTE (PMRI) g

e is a locally incorporated, non-profit environmental organization based in

Saipan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. r

It is dedicated to working in partnership with Pacific nations, states, and

communities to assess, monitor, and manage their precious biological

resoures for sustainable use.

Journal of Micronesian Fishing is published by the e

PACIFIC MARINE s

RESOURCES INSTITUTE (PMRI) PMB 1156 PO BOX 10003 SAIPAN MP, 96950