FOREWORD The Pacific Islands Studies Program continues its interest in stimulating student efforts in research and contributions to Pacific Islands Studies. This stimulation frequently culminates in the pub- lication of working papers authored by students. On occasion these working papers represent not finished products and should be regarded as initial endeavors in the study of the Pacific Islands. However, in ., -2; the instance of this publication by Mr. Barry Burnette Hill entitled: :,id t "The Use of Nearshsre Marine Life As A Food Resource By American Samoans ' . ,!G the work is judged to be more complete, more comprehensive and represents ->,A* ,.., ,@ a more rigorous scholarly effort worthy of sharing. .1 .* . ..Ti+ * . ' ..',& This work, aa a master thesis, by Mr. Hill is evidence of a credit- .+.>.., *,,;+ .., A .<-.:& able multidisciplinary study of the fisheries of American Samoa. More rr .-.a - specifically, it is hoped that this study of American Samoa's subsistence "I*"'t+ 3 fishery will have interest to anthropologists and to fishery and coral - -?:-+a ' -+"".. reef biologists. The study attempts to describe who does what, where $;$ it occurs, when it takes place as well as the why of this subsistence .... ,..4,=?4 -.?& "" related activity, inasmuch as the fishery of these coral reefs represents ,. $. r *&(7 a central aspect of marine resource utilization in American Samoa, -... ,?-** 4-4 I,,'-. - - In the past this marine resource use has received limited attention, ' -,<-::.3 b,4;x+ yet is judged to be most important in understanding the present island +@A. -<.. circumstances and most essential when engaged in intelligent planning of -.-r i.l .- ' % 8, - * -'-.? the future. - - >, *7;% . ; .. .j;q The editor wishes to thank those members of the Pacific Islands - . : .:2$ Studies Program publication committee for their review and recammendation , :?$ . .. L for publication. Also, a special thanks to Ms. Michiko Kadama for her % . ..? $v~ -.a& assistance in aiding in the preparation of the thesis for publication. , a:C:-*. 2 - '..P.~Z< , "'W.s. .Y In addition to the cooperation of the University of Hawaii Pacific . ..+:..,; I .'.I . - Islands oriented faculty members, a grant from the U.S. Office of Educa- j .- tion to the Pacific Islands Studies Center has also aided in making this '1 r: i ... publication possible. .. ,, . ~--p.9-.- L J . i: '-Y;;f c,- Mahalo. ., .em x, \ .. :+I. Carl J. Daeufer, Editor Pacific Islands- Studies Center L1. Bonolulu, Hawaii ;.%.. August 1, 1978 + The Use of Nearshare Marine Life Harry Wlrnette Hill Pacific Islands Studies Progran University of Hswaii (1978: 1) ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to gratefully acknowledge the open and friendly co-operation of the people of American Samoa, for their ready willingness to stop and talk with the "palagi" scientist which allowed me to fully develop my research topic. In particular, I would like to express my appreciation to Fia Tiaeula of Aoa and Mere Pritchard of Vaitogi for the friendship and information which each shared with me. I would like to thank the members of my diverse thesis committee for the assistance each offered me in their par- ticular field of study. My chairman, Dr. E. Alison Kay, provided me with encouragement and support and her excellent editorial advice. Dr. Robert Johannes, of the Hawaii Insti- tute of Marine Biology, appeared on the scene half-way through the study's completion to inject an incredible amount of relevant information and useful direction into the thesis. Dr. Brian Lockwood, of the East-West Center's Institute of Technology and Development, provided insights into the Pacific's fisheries, its cultures and its socio-economic change. Dr. Floyd Tilton, of the University of Hawaii's School of Public Health, helped to develop a small amount of dietary information in the best way possible. All of these staff members of the University of Hawaii assisted in making this study a creditable interdisciplinary consideration of the sub- sistence fisheries of American Samoa. iii And I would like to formally recognize the continual assistance and support of my wife and chief research assis- tant, Karen Janine, without whom this research would have been impossible. Whether the task was risking life and limb while diving in "awas" and along surf-beaten reef fronts or tediously editing and typing the finished product, she made this frequently lonely experience as fisheries biologist and researcher a team-effort. I =OF- .........................vii Paga'itua ....................-31 Lauli'ifou ....................-32 w ........................38 General ......................45 IV. THE SUBSISEX33 FISHERY Z-!ND ITS PARTICIPEWrS................. -51 .....................-61 Inter* of Agesex Gmups with Activities................ -66 n~tulenRpipnent ................ -71 Fishing Groups .................. 073 CHAPTER V. REEF USE: -CNS OF .ZA..P.ANDAN .ZA..P.ANDAN ...... 83 Tidal M- ..................88 Reef Incations of Fishing Activities .......-93 Tidal Inflwon Reef Zncatiroas .........97 kmgsbre Differenoes in Fishbq......... 102 Subsistenoe fishing on Three Villages' . Feefs...................... UO Ccxldtusion.................... 117 CIWTERVI. TEE FISHERY'S CA!KX. ITS USES 24Xl rrs D~ON................. ll9 T?aLE 1 Codeboak for Canprter File, SUBFISH 2 Ccmpilationard Sumnaryof Img mtemiews, Cenaal Fishing Infarmation 3 Frequencies of tbe Use of Different F- Methods 4 FrequeMcies of Participath of Manbers of *sex Groups as F- 5 mss-tabulation of +-sex Groups by Fishing Activities 6 Csoss-tatdation of Pqe-sex Gmlps by Used 7 mciesof Ek&prent Usage in Pier Fishery 8 ctoss-tahhtion of Fishing Activities by Sexual curpodtion of Fishing Grouph; 9 Crass-*tion of Fishing Activities by Sge Ccmposition of Fishing Gmqs 10 khan Gmup Sizes of Fishirg Pctivities ll Cross-tabuLation of Fishing Activities by Tidal Hejghts 12 Cross-tabulation of Fishirrg kztivities by Tidal Periods 13 Cross-lahlation of Fishirmg Activities by Their Reef Iacatims 14 mss-tabulatian of Reef Lacations by Tidal Heights 15 Cross-tatxllaticn of R=ef I?xaticns by Tidal Periods vii Fkxqumc.ies. of Fishing Adjacent Villaqes Cross-tabulatim of Shareline by Fishirq Activities Cr0ss-tabula.n of Sxxelirre by Tidal Height Cross-tabulatim af Fishing Activities by F4eef Imatiats, Ladieifou Village Cross-tabulation of Fishing Activities by Reef Locations, Aua Village Canpilation and flmaary of Short Irrtenriews: Catch, CRIE, Ins&lationships, Villages Canpilath ad Sumnary of Market Managane~lt Internhis: Subsistence Fishery 's Use of Established Markets Yearly Catch Esthates Cross-t&.&tion of Fishing Activities by Locations at Very Iaw Ti& 3 3 Cross-tabulation of Fishing Hvities by mfIncations at Mid Tide g 1 34 CzPss-tabulatian of Fishirrg Activities by 1 Reef Irocakims at High Tide I c 35 Cross-tahlaticn of Fishing Activities by Eieef lmati~19During the Irrw Tide Period 36 Cmss-tabulatkn of Fishing 2krtivities by F&ef Iaations Wing the Mid Tide Period 37 Cross-tabulaticn of Fishing Activities by &ef Irxatims During High Tide 38 Cross-tzhlamn of Shoreline by Fishing Activities IXlring Very Irrw Tide 39 Cross-tabulation of Shoreline by Fishing Activities Dldng LaJ Tide 40 Craa;sltabulatian of Shareline by Fishing Activities IXlrm Mi.dqi.de 41 Ckoss-Mmlatim of Shareline by Fishirrg Activities Duxing High Tide 42 Cross-tabulation of Sbreline by Peef Incations IXlrinrJ Very I[aJ Tide 43 Cross-tabulatlion of Shoreline by Rd Iacations IXlring Irrw Tide 45 ~ss~nof Shoreline by Reef Incations ming High Tide Figure p+F Map of Tutuila Islanl, mican Sam Map of sumeyed Coast Aerial Pbtxqraph of Fagat itua ~apof Rarrdan -at Track, Faga'itua Map of Iheef Zonaticn, Faga' itua Map of Randart Qwdrat Track, Aerial PMqraph of Aua Map of Rands Quadrat !JYack, Aua Map of R=ef ZoMticn, Aua Histcgrm of E'reqxncies af Fishing Metbd Bar Gr& of the Relative Frequencies of Fishing Activity at Tidal Heights ad During Tidal Periods CHAPTER I Introduction The subsistence fisheries of the tropical Pacific traditionally provided the major portion of the protein in the diets of the peoples who inhabited the islands of Poly- nesia, Micronesia and eastern Melanesia (Alexander, 1902; Anell, 1955; Reinman, 1967). Utilizing a variety of gener- alized to highly specialized fishing techniques in their marine surroundings, Pacific fishermen harvested their catches from the bountiful coral reefs surrounding most of the high islands and all of the low islands (atolls) in the tropical Pacific. These fishing techniques included the use of nets, baskets, pots, stone traps, spears, bows and arrows and poisons, as well as hand fishing techniques and communal fish drives (Anell, 1955; Buck, 1930; Kennedy, 1962). Together with the cultivation of coconuts, bread- fruit, bananas, plantains, taro and/or yams and the loose husbandry of chickens, pigs and dogs, the subsistence fisheries provided food for the needs of the inhabitants of the isolated Pacific .island groups. Fishing thus played a central role in the subsistence economies which supported self-sufficient communities of Pacific islanders. Island peoples drew upor the diversity of their tropical environments in supplying their daily needs. In spite of their inability to complement their 2 limited resources through trade, the peoples of the Pacific shaped comfortable and secure lifestyles, well-adapted to harmonious interaction with the Pacific island environment. Contact with the industrial nations of the world from the eighteenth century through the present has