SURVEY OF THE FISHERIES OF THE FORMER JAPANESE MANDATED ISLANDS FISHERY LEAFLET 2 7 3 FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR FORMER JAPANESE MANDATED ISLANDS FISHERY LEAFLET 2 7 3 FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR '^4m-^-j:!:^^^m •^~^.i'j '^^.z Si,--"'..- ^'Sf--«^'*aA-Si? fy.Tf:''- , FOREVraRD This survey of the fisheries of the former Japanese mandated islands of the Pacific Ocean was a part of the general economic siirvey iindertaken by the Pacific Ocean Division of the United States CoLinercial Co.'i^jany, Reconstruction Finance Corporation, at the requfest of the Navy Department. Shortly after the close of hostilities in the Pacific, the Navy recognized that its responsibility for administering the I^rianas, Carolines, and L'.arshalls extended beyond the mere establishment of law and order, or even the physical rehabilitation of v.ar-tom areas. By and large, the ticronesians v.'ere not enemy aliens, but rather innocent bystanders who had suffered heavy losses in life and property through no fault of their own. For the most part, they v.'ere eager to adopt the American way of life, including radios, movies, motor boats and vehicles. Viewed in the cold light of economic realism, it is obvious that the majority of these rosy dreams are impossible of fulfillment, Vne hard fact is that in the end, their relative prosperity depends on the movement of their own materials or products to world markets, with an accompanying return flow of goods and manu- factured articles. Otherwise, we must assume that the native population will be kept in much the same status as the bison of Yey.owstone Park. The foremost question then is what natural resources exist for heme consump- tion and for export. It was to answer this question, so long shrouded in secrecy by the Japanese, that the Economic Survey was undertaken. Originally", it was intended that all reports of sxirvey specialists would be published in a single coordinated series, with a general introduction to provide the background material for all.. That plan having been abandoned, it was necessary to add" some general information to the Fisheries report. Also, it has not been possible to incorporate in tliis report the data on local fisheries of Truk, Ponape, and the Marshall Islands, collected by economists assigned to those areas. In order that the results of the fisheries survey might be made available to the public at the earliest moment, a condensed version was published by the Fish and vrildlife Service under the title "Fishery Resources of Micronesia", Fishery Xeaflet No. 239, tlay, 19^7. The present paper now supersedes Jishery Leaflet 239, and contains all of the data on which the condensed version was based. It is a pleasure to acknowledge indebtedness for many services rendered by personnel of the U. S. Coianeroial Company, Economic Surve'y,-and Naval IJilitary Government in Washington and the field, and by the Director and staff of the Bernice P. Bishop Museum in Honolulu. last, but not least, the author wishes to congratulate himself for having as assistant, Ujr. Anthony Aki, of Honolulu, master swimmer, diver, and throw-net fisherman, wlio not only did ain excellent job of field collecting, but also accon^jlished wonders with limited galley equipment. TABLE OF CONTEIilTS Page INTRODUCTION 1 A. General Description of the Area 1 B. Scope and Methods of the Survey 2 Part I FIELD SUKVETS BY ISLAND GROUPS 5 I. THE ;.:arskall islands RALIK CHAIN 5 A. Eniwetok Atoll 5 3. Kwajalein 7 C. Ailinglaplap 7 D. Jaluit Atoll 10 RATAK CHAIN 13 A. Likiep 13 B. Majuro Atoll 13 II. THE CAROLINE ISLANDS 18 A. Kusaie Island 18 B. Ponape Island 20 0. Nukuoro Atoll 24 D. Kapingamarangi Atoll 25 E. Truk Islands .30 F. Palau Islands 39 1. Peleliu 39 2. Koror ' 39 3. Kayangel Islands 4-8 HI. THE imOAM. ISUNDS 50 A. Saipan Island 50 B. Tinian Island 52 C. Rota Island 55 D. Guam Island 56 Part II DESCRIPTION OF TOE FISHERIES 58 INTRODUCE ON ' 58 I. BONITO INDUSTRY ' 59 A. Statistics of the Bonito Fishery 59 B . The Japanese Bonito Fishery 64 C. Native Bonito Fishery on Saipan 64 D. Preparation of Dried Bonito Stick-Japanese Method 69 11 Page II. 1HE JAPANESE TUNA KISHERY 70 III. SPONGE CDLTOEE 70 A. Native Sponges 70 B. Japanese Sponge Culture at Ailinglaplap 71 IV. PEARL SHELLS 72 A. Distribution of Pearl Shells 72 B. Japanese Pearl Culture at Ebon 73 ^V. SEA CUCUMBERS (TREPAHG) 73 VI. TROCHUS SHKIIS 75 VII. FISHERIES OF TRUK 75 A. Information on Pre-war Fishery ?5 B . Trepang Fishery at Truk 76 C. Trochus Shell Fishery at Truk 76 VIII. SAIPAN BEACH SEINING 78 IX. SEA TURTLES 79 X. POISON FISH ' 79 Part III SUMMARY AND RECOifllENDATIONS 82 A. SUMMARI 82 1. General Summary 82 2. Information on Fishing Supplies 82 3. Construction of Native Vessels 83 B. RECOMMENDATIONS 83 1. Immediate 83 2. Subsequent • 85 C. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR GUAM FISHERIES 88 1. Commercial and Sport Fishing 88 2. Fishing Vessels 88 3. Special Fishing Regulations 88 4.. Japanese Fishing Hampered by Sharks 88 Part IV NATIVE NAMES REUTING TO THE FISHERIES 89 REFERBJCES 98 INDEX 100 iii Figure 1... Tinian. Spreading a H ft. throw-net from a coral reef. June 194.6. IV ILLUSTRATIONS FJKure Page 1 Tinian . Spreading a lA. foot throrz-net . June, 194.6 iv 2 Kusaie. Hand net (Epino) used by women. August, 194-6 8 3 Jaluit. Paddling and sailing canoes. August, I94fa 8 A Uajuro. Short spear. August, 1946 14 5 Jaluit. Sailing canoe. August, 1946 14 6 Kusaie. Trolling (heavy) and still-fishing lines. August, 1946 ... 14 7 Kusaie. Throw-net. August, 1946 16 8 Kusaie. Uethod of holding throw-net. August, 1946 16 9 Kusaie. Paddling canoe. August, 1946 16 10 Kusaie. 4-prong spear. August, 1946 17 11 Kusaie . Samoan Crab (Scj[lla serrata ) . August, 1946 17 12 Kapingamarangi . Canoe house, lagoon side. August, 1946 26 13 I'fuicuoro. Paddling canoe. August, 1946 26 14 Kapingamarangi. Fish spear. August, 1946 26 15 Kapingamarangi. Stone fish trap, low tide. August, 194-6 27 16 Kapingamarangi. Sailing canoes. August, 1946 27 17 Kapingamarangi. Paddling canoe and scoop-net for flying fish. August, 1946 28 18 Kapingamarangi. Detail of fish traps . August, 1946 28 19 Truk. Short fish spear, liay, 1946 31 20 Pailaus. Terrain between Koror and Pelelieu. July, 1946 37 21 Palaus. Typical undercut cliffs on islands between Koror and Pelelieu. July, 1946 37 22 Palaus. Koror Island. Site of Japanese Marine Fisheries Experiment Station. July, 1946 38 23 Palaus, Koror. Bombed Japanese biridge blocking navigation. July, 1946 38 24 Palaus. Koror Island. Giant clam shell. July, 1946 40 25 Palaus. Near Koror. Spear fishing inside barrier reef. July, 1946 i 40 26 Palaus. Koror Island. Paddling canoe. July, 1946 40 27 Palaus. Koror Island. Spiny Lobsters. July, 1946 41 28 Palaus. Near Koror Island. One man's catch, tiro hours of spear fishing. July, 1946 41 29 Palaus. Near Koror Island. 25 pound blue wrasse from outer reef. Taken vdth spears. July, 1946 41 30 Palaus. Koror Island. Bonito and Crevalle taken on spoon, July, 1946 43 31 Palaus, Koror Island. Types of trepang produced by natives. July, 1946 43 32 Palaus, Koror Island. Ekiuipment for culturing pearls, July, 1946 44 33 Palaus, Koror Island. Baskets holding black-lip oysters for pearl culture . July, 1946 44 34 Palaus. Kayangel Island. Jig made from stalk of spider lily. July, 1946 47 35 Rota. Area between shore and fringing reef. Low tide. June, 1946. 47 36 Guam. Blue wrasse taken with surround net, near Merizo. June, 1946 57 37 Truk . Japanese fishing sampan-. Uay, 1946 62 ILLUSTRATIONS (Continued) FJKure Page 38 Saipan. Eonito fishing. No. 1, Laying out live-bait net. June, 19A6 -. 63 39 2. Driving live-bait into net. June, 19^6 63 40 3« Drying-up live bait net. June, 1946 65 41 4. Bailing live-bait from net to tanks. June, 1946 65 42 5» Detail of live-bait and tanks, June, 1946 65 43 6, Salt water sprayer. June, 1946 . 66 U. 7. Method of fishing. June, 1946 .. 66 45 Ailihglaplap. Anchor and float for sponge culture. August, 1946 . 71 46 Truk. Native produced Trepang (dried sea-cumbers) August, 1946 ... 74 47 Truk. Trociius shells. May, 1946 74 48 Saipan. Beach seining No. 1. Setting net. June, 1946 77 49 2. Hauling net. June, 1946 77 50 3« Catch (mostly 4 to 5 inch goat-fish) June, 1946 78 MAPS The Mandated Area Facing 1 Ehiwetok Atoll, Marshalls Facing 5 Ailinglaplap Atoll, Marshalls 6 Kvjajalein Atoll, Marshalls Facing 7 Jaluit Atoll, Marshalls 9 Liklep Atoll, Marshalls k 1^ Majuro Atoll, Marshalls 1^ Kusale Island, Carolines IV Ponape Island, Carolines ^9 Nxikuoro Atoll, Carolines 23 Kapingama rangi Atoll, Carolines 23 Truk Group, Carolines 29 Kuop Atoll, Carolines 31 Palaus, General chart, Carolines 34 PeLLaus, No. 1, Kayangel Islands 34 Palaus, No. 2, Babelthuap Island 35 Palaus, No. 3, Koror to Felelieu 36 Saipan, Marianas ^9 Tinian, Marianas .' ^1 Rota, Marianeis 53 Guam, Marianas 54 Figure TABLES 1 Bonito Catch - Japanese Mandate Islands, 1934-41 ^0 2 Prices of Fresh Bonito, 1934-41 ^0 3 Vfeight Relation, Eonito Sticks to Fresh Bonito 60 4 Number of Fishing Vessels in the Mandate Islands, 1937 61 5 1941 Catch L Production - Mandated Islands 61 vi — 135° 140° 145° 15 0° 155° 160° 165° 170° _l _J I BONIN (OGASAWARA) ISLANDS PARRY Group Rello) , . (Mukoshimo Rosorio L (Nishino) ' BEECHEY Group(Chichishima Rello) •BAILEY or COFFIN Group(Hah05himo Rello) 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 DAITO SHIMA .