Table Of Content“Vw, Marine Fisheries
es REVIEW “a
Srares of fi National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration + National Marine Fisheries Service
Fisheries of Hawaii and U.S.-associated Pacific Islands
Marine Fisheries
On the cover: Fisheries
of Hawaii and U.S.-associated
Pacific Islands. NMFS photos.
Articles 55(2), 1993
The Fisheries of Hawaii and U.S.-associated Pacific Islands George W. Boehlert' 1
Fisheries and Marine Resources of Hawaii
and the U.S.-associated Pacific Islands: An Introduction George W. Boehlert
Hawaii’s Marine Fisheries: Some
History, Long-term Trends, and Recent Developments Samuel G. Pooley
Biology and Management of Wayne R. Haight,
Deepwater Snappers of the Hawaiian Archipelago Donald R. Kobayashi, and Kurt E. Kawamoto 20
The Lobster and Shrimp Fisheries in Hawaii Jeffrey J. Polovina 28
An Ecological Perspective on
Inshore Fisheries in the Main Hawaiian Islands M. Kimberly Smith 34
Precious Coral Fisheries of Hawaii and the U.S. Pacific Islands Richard W. Grigg 50
The Development and Decline of Hawaii’s Skipjack Tuna Fishery Christofer H. Boggs and Bert S. Kikkawa 61
Hawaii’s Pelagic Fisheries Christofer H. Boggs and Russell Y. Ito 69
A Review of Interactions
Between Hawaii’s Fisheries and Protected Species Eugene T. Nitta and John R. Henderson 83
Economics and Hawaii’s Marine Fisheries Samuel G. Pooley 93
The Western Pacific Fishery
Information Network: A Fisheries Information System David C. Hamm 102
The Commercial, Subsistence, Peter Craig, Bonnie Ponwith,
and Recreational Fisheries of American Samoa Fini Aitaoto, and David Hamm 109
Guam’s Small-Boat-based Fisheries Robert F. Myers 117
An Overview of Guam’s Inshore Fisheries Rebecca A. Hensley and Timothy S. Sherwood 129
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Editor: W. L. Hobart Department. Use of the funds for printing this peri- Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402.
The Fisheries of Hawaii and U.S.-associated Pacific Islands
Preface search and research needs, issues asso- Acknowledgments
ciated with management and regula-
In the late 1980’s and early 1990's, This volume of papers would not
tion of the fishery, and future prospects.
significant changes occurred in the fish- have been possible without the efforts
Because much of the source material
eries of Hawaii. Expansion and diver- of many individuals. Obviously, the
for these papers comes from unpub-
sification of pelagic fisheries and authors put in a great deal of work to
lished sources, however, it should be
growth (including industrialization) of meet (or nearly meet) deadlines for
noted that restrictions on the citing of
fisheries that, in at least some cases, manuscripts and revisions. Editorial
unpublished sources has been eased in
had been largely recreational or and graphics quality on many manu-
this issue of Marine Fisheries Review
artisanal led to fear of overfishing and scripts benefited from the work of Judy
to facilitate introducing the reader to
problems in allocation among fishery Beasley and Deborah Yamaguchi. The
some unconventional information
sectors. Combined with establishment quality of the papers was increased ap-
sources. Readers interested in further
of limited entry programs in Hawaii preciably by the efforts of external re-
information on, or copies of, these dif-
fisheries (bottomfish, longline, and lob- viewers, many of whom were authors
ficult-to-find materials are referred to
ster), this led to anticipation that similar of other papers. The following review-
the authors of the papers.
growth might occur in Guam, the North- ers are acknowledged for providing criti-
Virtually all papers planned for this
ern Marianas, and American Samoa. cal comments on the manuscripts
volume were completed and provide
In examining the status of fisheries (individuals designated with an asterisk
comprehensive views of the fisheries.
in Hawaii and the other U.S.-associ- reviewed more than one manuscript).
Lacking, however, is a paper on the
ated islands in the Pacific, however, it
fisheries of the Commonwealth of the
was evident that the availability of in- Richard Brock
Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI)
formation was limited largely to an- Ray Buckley
which, although similar in geographic
nual reports, agency administrative Atilio Coan
locality to Guam, has its own unique
reports and data reports. Nowhere was Peter Craig
fisheries. For further information on
there a published source of reference CNMI, the reader is referred to Uchida Edward DeMartini
information dealing with fisheries in (1983) for background and to Polovina Lucius Eldredge
this region available to scientists and
et al. (1985), which summarizes the David Hamm
the public.
work conducted over several years in Robert Harman*
A meeting of interested parties (and
the “Resource Assessment Investiga- Donald Heacock*
potential authors) late in 1991 at the
U.S. National Marine Fisheries Ser- tion of the Mariana Archipelago”, or Kim Holland
RAIOMA. This program was con-
vice (NMFS) Honolulu Laboratory led Walter Ikehara
ducted by the NMFS Honolulu Labo-
to an agreement to develop a series of Kurt Kawamoto
ratory. Other papers from this program
papers to address this shortcoming; Bert Kikkawa
describe specific fisheries: Deep
participants agreed that papers summa- Dorothy Lowman
bottomfish in Polovina (1985) and
rizing these fisheries with up-to-date in- Craig MacDonald*
deep-sea shrimp in Ralston (1986). Un-
formation otherwise available only in fortunately, the nearshore and artisanal Ken McDermond
unpublished form would be quite useful.
fisheries are not described, although James Parrish
The group decided to limit the scope some information is available in Uchida Sam Pooley
of the volume to domestic, island-based
(1983) and Smith (1988). For specific Stephen Ralston
(rather than distant-water) fisheries,
information on fisheries catch in Gary Sakagawa
thereby excluding tuna purse seine and
CNMI, the reader is also referred to Robert Schroeder
albacore fisheries and island-based for-
“Fisheries Statistics of the Western
eign fleets in the case of Guam and Robert Skillman
American Samoa. Each paper was to Pacific” (Hamm et al.' and preceding Kimberly Smith*
yearly volumes).
include information on the biology of James Uchiyama
the species involved, a synopsis of the Richard Wass
'Hamm, D. C., M. Quach, and R. Anto-
fishery (including historical trends, nio. 1992. Fisheries statistics of the western
gear and vessel types, data sources and Pacific, volume VIII. U.S. Dep. Commer., Finally, I thank Willis Hobart and
collection, status of stocks, and a brief NOAA, Natl. Mar. Fish. Serv., Honolulu Lab., his staff at the NMFS Scientific Publi-
Southwest Fish. Sci. Cent. Admin. Rep. H-92-
description of markets), current re- 14, var. pagin. cations Office for putting the volume
55(2), 1993
together, holding open an issue despite resource assessment of the Mariana Archi- Mariana Islands: A review of the plankton
pelago, 1982-1985. Mar. Fish. Rev. communities and fishery resources. U.S.
the usual delays and promises, and for
47(4):19-25. Dep. Commer., NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-
continued encouragement. Ralston, S. 1986. An intensive fishing experi- SWFC-33, 111 p.
ment for the caridean shrimp, Heterocarpus
Literature Cited laevigatus, at Alamagan Island in the Mariana
Archipelago. Fish. Bull. 84:927-934.
Polovina, J. J. 1985. Variation in catch rates Smith, B. D. (Editor). 1988. Topic reviews in George W. Boehlert
and species composition in handline catches insular resource development and management
of deepwater snappers and groupers in the in the Pacific U.S.-affiliated Islands. Univ. Honolulu Laboratory
Mariana Archipelago. Proc. Fifth Int. Coral Guam Mar. Lab. Tech. Rep. 88, 146 p. NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science
Reef Congr. 5:515-520. Uchida, R. N. 1983. Summary of environ- Center
am , R. B. Moffitt, S. Ralston, P. M. mental and fishing information on Guam
Shiota, and H. A. Williams. 1985. Fisheries and the Commonwealth of the Northern Honolulu, HI 96822-2396
Marine Fisheries Review
Fisheries and Marine Resources of Hawaii and
the U.S.-associated Pacific Islands: An Introduction
GEORGE W. BOEHLERT
Introduction the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone eye scad in all areas. The adults of
(EEZ) surrounding the island areas is these coastal pelagics, known as akule
Fisheries of Hawaii and the U.S. in-
immense, covering over 2 million in Hawaii or atule in American Samoa,
sular Pacific are quite different from
square miles. Over this broad geo- represent the largest volume fishery in
typical industrial and recreational fish-
graphic expanse, a variety of cultural nearshore waters but are poorly known
eries of the mainland U.S. Fisheries
differences affect fishing practices, and in terms of their resource potential.
productivity in coastal waters of these
even those practices present today are Nearshore reef resources are often
tropical and subtropical islands may
significantly different from the native overexploited in populated areas, a
be similar to that in temperate conti-
approaches to fishing methods in Ha- problem perhaps characteristic of tropi-
nental shelf-slope fish communities
waii (Smith, 1993) and Guam (Hensley cal reef fisheries in general (Ferry and
(Marten and Polovina, 1982), but the
and Sherwood, 1993). Finally, varia- Kohler, 1987).
higher species diversity results in more
tions in the population size and in the
diverse, lower volume fisheries. Larger, Evolution of Fisheries
fishing pressure on the nearshore eco-
commercial fisheries are often depen-
system are marked among islands, from With increasing population, chang-
dent upon deep water, slope-dwelling
the highly populated island of Oahu in ing cultural composition, and advanc-
species or the highly migratory pelagics
Hawaii to sparsely populated islands ing technology, island fisheries have
such as tunas and billfishes. Although
elsewhere to the mostly uninhabited changed in many ways. Prior to west-
land masses in this region are small,
islands of the Northwestern Hawaiian ern colonization, indigenous peoples
Islands (NWHI) and Commonwealth of the islands depended on the marine
of the Northern Mariana Islands environment and had developed a
George Boehlert is with the Honolulu Labora- (CNMI). unique knowledge of marine resources
tory, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, Na-
tional Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 2570 The objective of this volume is to and varied approaches to conservation
Dole St., Honolulu, HI 96822-2396, and the describe our current knowledge on the and management. The cultural impacts
Joint Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Re-
varied fisheries of Hawaii and the U.S.- of colonization of the islands by non-
search, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI
96822. Mention of trade names or commercial associated islands of the Pacific. This indigenous peoples had marked effects
firms does not imply endorsement by the Na- introductory paper provides some gen- and typically led to the decline of tra-
tional Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA.
eral background on fisheries in the ditional conservation measures (Jo-
region. hannes, 1978); a concise description
of how this happened in Belau, in the
Diversity of Fisheries
Western Caroline Islands, is provided
ABSTRACT — The fisheries of Hawaii
and other U.S.-associated islands in the In the U.S. insular Pacific, the com- by Johannes (1981). In Guam, Spanish
Pacific Ocean are characterized by high bination of highly complex habitats, persecution of Chammorros led to the
diversity, both in the species exploited and high species diversity, and both native demise of the traditional fishing meth-
the human cultures that exploit them. The
and newly introduced cultural practices ods in the mid-1500’s (Hensley and
commercial sector has undergone rapid
growth in recent years, but recreational leads to a diversity of fisheries unpar- Sherwood, 1993). Similarly, in Hawaii,
and subsistence sectors remain important. alleled in most other parts of the U.S. it led to the decline of the traditional
Information on these fisheries is generally Many fisheries are unique to certain management regime of the native Ha-
not available in published form. This pa- localities, such as that for palolo worm waiians that had long protected near-
per presents an overview and introduction
to a volume of papers describing fisheries in American Samoa (Craig et. al., shore resources (Smith, 1993). Trends
in the region, with the goal of making the 1993), seasonal juvenile fisheries for in the fisheries of Hawaii are perhaps
information available to scientists and the rabbitfish in Guam (Hensley and the most pertinent to examine, for the
general public. A great deal remains to be Sherwood, 1993), and limpet, or opihi greatest changes have occurred there
learned about the dynamics of these fish-
fisheries in Hawaii (Smith, 1993). Oth- and these may serve as a warning of
eries as well as the associated issues in
biological research, fisheries management, ers are common to all islands, such as what may come in the other island areas
and environmental protection. the seasonal fisheries for juvenile big- as populations increase there as well.
55(2), 1993
Temporal trends of fisheries differ decades (Craig et al., 1993) are also a 1993b). Even so, continuing improve-
markedly. Shomura! described the dif- concern. ments in technology have led to sub-
ferences in fisheries of Hawaii between Significant growth in several fish- stantial expansion of the longline
1900 and 1986, the early period based ery sectors of Hawaii has been based fishery and more directed targeting for
upon a comprehensive data collection upon improved technology and an ex- bigeye tuna and broadbill swordfish
scheme and subsequent analysis by panded potential geographic range of fishery during the late 1980’s (Boggs
Cobb (1902) and the later period upon fishing. The combination of increased and Ito, 1993).
State of Hawaii commercial fishery catch and targeted high-value markets
data collection systems. While the two led to a doubling of the ex-vessel value Management Issues
data sets are not identical in coverage, of Hawaii fisheries from 1970 to 1990
they provide useful comparisons. The (Pooley, 1993a). Insular fisheries With the decline of traditional man-
total catch nearly doubled in the pe- moved to increasingly deeper water, agement approaches, increasing popu-
riod considered. Shomura! noted sev- and technology allowed the expansion lation, and development of new
eral important trends related to the of the slope fishery in the main Hawai- fisheries, declines in nearshore stocks
distance of the fishery from shore. ian islands during the middle of this were inevitable (Shomura!; Hensley
Catch of coastal species declined by century. As these fisheries approached and Sherwood, 1993). As offshore fish-
about 80%, while those of neritic- full exploitation, the resource poten- eries grew, allocation conflicts have
pelagics (akule, opelu) declined by tial of the NWHI was examined by the developed (Boggs and Ito, 1993). With
40%. Catch of slope and seamount spe- National Marine Fisheries Service, the the passage of the Magnuson Fishery
cies increased by 80%, whereas many- State of Hawaii, and the U.S. Fish and Conservation and Management Act of
fold increases in offshore pelagics catch Wildlife Service in the tripartite North- 1976 (MFCMA) and establishment of
were evident. western Hawaiian Islands Investigation the regional fishery management coun-
It is likely that the decline of near- in the mid 1970’s to early 1980's. This cils, federal jurisdiction was established
shore fisheries is based largely upon program increased knowledge of re- and in some cases established regula-
two factors. First, increasing popula- source potential (Uchida and Uchiya- tions that superseded state or territory
tion and improved fishing technology ma, 1986) and ultimately led to a regulations. As the Western Pacific
led to overfishing in the absence of geographic expansion of the lobster and Regional Fishery Management Coun-
effective management and regulations. bottomfish fisheries to the NWHI cil (WPRFMC) began to develop fish-
Gillnet use, for example, is largely un- (Polovina, 1993; Haight et al., 1993), ery management plans (FMP’s), the
restricted, and this can have negative providing a marked expansion of ex- lack of adequate fisheries data became
impacts on coral reef fish populations ploitable biomass. Within the NWHI evident. Although time series of fish-
(Gobert, 1992). Similar concerns are lobster fishery, changing gear from eries catch information were available
expressed about this gear in Guam wire to plastic traps led to significant in the state of Hawaii, questions ex-
(Hensley and Sherwood, 1993). Sec- catch of slipper lobster, which had been isted about the quality and consistency
ond, habitat destruction from coastal essentially unexploited with wire traps. of these data for rigorous analysis
development leads to a decline in avail- As these resources become fully ex- (Smith, 1993). Data for Hawaii’s rec-
ability and quality of critical habitat ploited, however, the available habitat reational fisheries, which may repre-
area needed to support the reef popula- for further expansion of insular fisher- sent a large portion of harvest in the
tions. This was most evident for spe- ies in Hawaii declined markedly. nearshore areas, are virtually unre-
cies utilizing fishponds, a habitat which The pelagic fisheries sector has seen corded. In Guam, American Samoa,
may be similar to estuaries for enhanc- the most dramatic fluctuation in Ha- and CNMI, however, de novo devel-
ing juvenile fish production. The de- waii. Improvement of vessel technol- opment of the WPACFIN system be-
cline of the numbers and function of ogy increased the range of the local gan consistent time series of fisheries
fishponds in Hawaii has been dramatic. trolling and handline fleet while other data (Hamm, 1993).
Cobb (1902) documented the use of factors led to the near-demise of the Management mechanisms have
fishponds in his survey of fisheries of skipjack pole-and-line (“aku”) fleet; evolved in Hawaii to reduce fishing
Hawaii and even then noted a marked with the closure of the only cannery on effort in the commercial fisheries, in-
decline in the numbers of functioning Oahu, recent aku catches are nearly an cluding limited entry (bottomfish, lob-
fishponds. While the reasons may order of magnitude below the histori- ster), moratoria on new entrants to the
differ, declining nearshore catches in cal peak (Boggs and Kikkawa, 1993). fishery (longlining), closed seasons and
American Samoa over the last two A general trend away from “bulk fish- quota (lobster), and area closures
eries” for pelagics (e.g. fishcake, (longlining). Nearshore areas in Ha-
canned tuna) and development of waii have received limited protection
'R. S. Shomura. 1987. Hawaii’s marine fishery
resources: Yesterday (1900) and today (1986). “quality,” high price products (e.g. through Marine Life Conservation Dis-
Honolulu Lab., Southwest Fish. Cent., Natl. sashimi tuna, transshipped products) tricts (MLCD’s), a progressive ap-
Mar. Fish. Serv., NOAA, Honolulu, HI 96822- has enhanced the market value of proach taken by the Division of Aquatic
2396. Southwest Fish. Cent. Admin. Rep. H-
87-21, 25 p. Hawaii’s pelagic fisheries (Pooley, Resources (Smith, 1993). Such closed
Marine Fisheries Review
areas for fishery management purposes habitats (Boehlert et al.?; Baines and the dominant fish and large inverte-
represent an alternative that is consis- Morrison, 1990). Examples of prob- brate species decreased to less than
tent with interest in marine refuges and lems include point and nonpoint source one-fifth of their original abundance
sanctuaries, and a theoretical basis for pollution, coastal landfills, diversion (as reflected in catch rate), and the
such management is developing of freshwater from former estuarine squid Loligo spp. became the clear
(DeMartini, 1993). Closed areas have areas or fishponds, dredging and silt- dominant, with perhaps a ten-fold in-
also been used for special purposes, ation impacts on corals, and algal crease in abundance (Longhurst and
such as creating areas for noncon- blooms. While such problems may not Pauly, 1987). Multispecies manage-
sumptive use of marine resources (a be evident in all these island areas, ment models for tropical fisheries are
function served by many Hawaii their relationship to human population not sufficiently well developed to pre-
MLCD’s) or for protection of sensitive pressure is well documented. dict these kind of changes (Sainsbury,
areas. An example of the latter is pro- Fishing can itself impact the envi- 1982).
tection of the Hawaiian monk seal in ronment; destructive fishing practices
Concluding Remarks
the NWHI (Nitta and Henderson, (bleach, dynamite, or nonselective
1993). Lobster fishing is prohibited in- gears) have a long history in island The papers in this volume document
side 10 fm in the NWHI owing to des- areas, but public awareness has led to the development of this region’s fish-
ignation of critical habitat for the monk regulations banning or controlling eries and indicate the scope of research
seal, and longlining is prohibited within them. Set gillnet fishing is increasingly that has been conducted by many agen-
50 n.mi. of the NWHI owing to fishery viewed as a nonselective method with cies; still, it is clear that much remains
interactions. relatively high bycatch of unintended to be learned. This is also true for the
Interactions among different scales species, similar to driftnet fisheries. In fisheries management and environmen-
of fisheries and the differing agencies Hawaii, however, bills to regulate set tal protection issues as for the basic
responsible for their management gillnets have routinely been killed po- biological and environmental research
present a challenge in many areas. In litically, although a recent (1992) reso- required to understand the physical pro-
the nearshore, non-selective gears like lution calling for studies to improve cesses at work in these diverse island
gillnets and lack of data on their catch regulations was passed. habitats. For successful fisheries man-
make specific management measures Impacts of fishing on protected spe- agement, however, it is critical to ap-
difficult and contribute to stock de- cies is also a point of environmental preciate the human diversity of these
clines. Moving offshore, many stocks, concern. Examples in local fisheries island areas; this fequires a deeper un-
such as bottomfish, fall within the ju- include gillnet impacts on turtle, and derstanding of the social processes
risdiction of both state (or territory) longline takes of turtles, monk seal, which affect the ability of government
and federal management prerogatives; and seabirds (Nitta and Henderson, to work with the community on com-
this problem is presently being faced 1993). mon solutions to fishery management
with bottomfish management in the Fishing may also have impacts on problems. I hope that this volume con-
main Hawaiian Islands. For pelagics, biological diversity. Fishing only se- tributes the basic background informa-
even though all species are now under lected species in the high diversity eco- tion which can place the search for
the MFCMA, fluctuations in catch rates systems characterizing these areas may such solutions on a firmer scientific
of many species mimic many of the lead to species replacement, and the footing.
changes in Pacific-wide stocks, sug- new dominant species may be smaller
gesting that local fluctuations are in and less useful for human consump-
Literature Cited
concert with the wider Pacific stocks, tion (Jones, 1982). While concrete
and that local effects often change with documentation of such species replace- Baines, G. B. K., and R. J. Morrison. 1990.
Marine pollution from landuse in the Pacific
environmental variation. Unfortu- ment is not evident in Hawaii and the
islands region. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 21:506-
nately, the wider ranging stocks lack U.S. insular Pacific fisheries, experi- 515.
the scientific basis and institutional mental fishing on patch reefs at Mid- Boggs, C. H., and R. Y. Ito. 1993. Hawaii’s pe-
lagic fisheries. Mar. Fish. Rev. 55(2):69-82.
structures needed for management (see way did change community structure and B. S. Kikkawa. 1993. The devel-
Doulman, 1987). and the abundance of certain prey spe- opment and decline of Hawaii’s skipjack
tuna fishery. Mar. Fish. Rev. 55(2):61-68.
cies (Schroeder, 1989). A more dra-
Environmental Issues Cobb, J. N. 1902. Commercial fisheries of the
matic example is provided by the trawl Hawaii Islands. U.S. Comm. Fish Fish., Rep.
Improved awareness of environmen- fishery in the Gulf of Thailand, where Comm. 1901, Pt. 27, p. 381-499.
Craig, P., B. Ponwith, F. Aitaoto, and D. Hamm.
tal issues in the marine environment is 1993. The commercial, subsistence, and rec-
evident in the general public, and Ha- reational fisheries of American Samoa. Mar.
waii and the Pacific islands are no ex- 2G. W. Boehlert, P. L. Jokiel, and D. J. Mackett. Fish. Rev. 55(2):109-116.
1985. Issues in fisheries habitat conservation DeMartini, E. E. 1993. Modeling the potential
ception. Land-based development and research for the Hawaiian archipelago and of fishery reserves for managing Pacific coral
associated with increasing population Central Pacific. Honolulu Lab., Southwest Fish. reef fishes. Fish. Bull. 91(3):414—427.
Cent., Natl. Mar. Fish. Serv., NOAA, Hono- Doulman, D. J. (Editor). 1987. Tuna issues and
in island ecosystems is a serious con- lulu, HI 96822-2396. Southwest Fish. Cent. perspectives in the Pacific Islands region.
cern owing to degradation of nearshore Admin. Rep. H-85-10, 39 p. East-West Cent. Press, Honolulu, 314 p.
55(2), 1993
Ferry, R. E., and C. C. Kohler. 1987. Effects of . 1981. Words of the lagoon: Fishing Pooley, S. G. 1993a. Economics and Hawaii’s
trap fishing on fish populations inhabiting a and marine lore in the Palau District of marine fisheries. Mar. Fish. Rev. 55(2):93-101.
fringing coral reef. N. Am. J. Fish. Manage. Micronesia. Univ. Calif. Press, Berkeley, 245 p. . 1993b. Hawaii’s marine fisheries:
8:580-588. Jones, R. 1982. Ecosystems, food chains and Some history, long-term trends, and recent
Gobert, B. 1992. Impact of the use of trammel fish yields. Jn D. Pauly and G. I. Murphy developments. Mar. Fish. Rev. 55(2):7-19.
nets on a tropical reef resource. Fish. Res. (Editors), Theory and management of tropi- Sainsbury, K. J. 1982. The ecological basis of
13:353-367. cal fisheries, p. 195-240. ICLARM Conf. tropical fisheries management. Jn D. Pauly
Proc. 9. and G. I. Murphy (Editors), Theory and man-
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Kawamoto. 1993. Biology and management Longhurst, A. R., and D. Pauly. 1987. Ecology ICLARM Conf. Proc. 9.
cohf ipdeeleapgwoa.t eMra r.s naFpipshe.r s Reovf. t5h5e (2H)a:w2a0i-i2a7n. ar- oYfo rkt.r,o pi4c0a7l po. ceans. Academic Press, New Schrreoeefd efri,s heRs. iEn . a 1s9u8b9t.r opTihcea l ecPaocliofgiyc aotfo llp:a trceh-
Hamm, D. C. 1993. The western Pacific fishery Marten, G. G., and J. J. Polovina. 1982. A cruitment variability, community structure
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I. Murphy (Editors), Theory and manage- Smith, M. K. 1993. An ecological perspective
Hensley, R. A., and T. S. Sherwood. 1993. An ment of tropical fisheries, p. 255-286. on inshore fisheries in the main Hawaiian
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Johannes, R. E. 1978 Traditional marine con- review of interactions between Hawaii’s fish- 1986. Fishery atlas of the Northwestern Ha-
servation methods in Oceania and their de- eries and protected species. Mar. Fish. Rev. waiian Islands. U.S. Dep. Commer., NOAA
mise. Ann. Rev. Ecol. System. 9:349-364. 55(2):83-92. Tech. Rep. NMFS-SWFC-38, 142 p.
Marine Fisheries Review
Hawaii’s Marine Fisheries:
Some History, Long-term Trends, and Recent Developments
SAMUEL G. POOLEY
Introduction coastal zone management processes. Table 1.—List of and scientifi names of
This paper concentrates on the eco- ff req ly caught cial pecies in Hawaii.
Recently Hawaii’s commercial ma-
rine fishery has experienced a period nomic development of the offshore Common name Scientific name
commercial fishery, and places some-
of rapid growth and structural change, Bottomfish
and its characteristics are quite differ- what greater emphasis on the large- Snappers
scale fisheries. Biological and manage- Onaga Etelis coruscans
ent from what they were a decade ago. Opakapaka Pristipomoides filamentosus
ment features of Hawaii’s marine fish- Ehu E. carbunculus
Some of these changes are the result of eries are considered in other papers in Kalekale P. seiboldii
governmental and private-sector deci- Gindai P. zonatus
this number (Mar. Fish. Rev. 55(2)). Uku Aprion virescens
sions on fishery development in Ha- Lehi Aphareus rutilans
wali, but many have occurred because Hawaii’s marine fisheries can be di- Yellowtail kalekale P. auricilla
vided into three geographical areas Taape Lutjanus kasmira
of increasingly competitive pressures,
particularly as they have affected main- (Fig. 1): Grouper
1) The inhabited main Hawaiian Is- Hapuupuu Epinephelus quernus
land U.S. commercial fishing fleets.
lands (MHI), with their surrounding Jacks
Further changes are anticipated as di- White ulua Caranx ignobilis
verse fishing interests (including both reefs and offshore banks (the island of Black ulua C. lugubris
Hawaii to Niihau and Kauai); Butaguchi Pseudocaranx dentex
large-scale and small-scale commer- Kahala Seriola dumerili
2) The Northwestern Hawaiian Is-
cial, indigenous, and recreational fish-
lands (NWHI), a 1,200 mile string of Other
ing interests, as well as nonconsump- Lobster
basically uninhabited reefs, shoals, and Spiny Panulirus marginatus
tive marine resource interests) are islets ranging west northwest from the Slipper Scyllarides squammosus
worked out in fishery, marine, and
main Hawaiian Islands (i.e., west of Pelagic Management Unit Species
Niihau and Kauai); BSlturei pemda rlmianr lin MTaektariaprtau rmuas zaaruad ax
Samuel G. Pooley is with the Honolulu Labora- 3) The mid-North Pacific Ocean, Broadbill swordfish Xiphias gladius
tory, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, Na- Shortbill spearfish T. angustirostris
tional Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 2570 ranging from lat. 40°N to the Equator, Black marlin M. indica
Dole Street, Honolulu, HI 96822-2396. and from long.145°W to long. 175°E. Indo-Pacific sailfish Istiophorus platypterus
Mahimahi Coryphaena hippurus
Hawaii’s fishing fleets can also be Ono (wahoo) Acanthocybium solandri
divided into three somewhat overlap-
Blue shark Prionace glauca
ping or interconnected segments: Mako shark (short-fin) /surus oxyrinchus
1) Large-scale commercial fishing. OMcaekaon isch awrhki te(tliopn g-sfhianr)k /C.a pracuhcaursh inus longimanus
Although termed “large-scale” in Thresher shark Alopias superciliosus
ABSTRACT — This paper provides an Tiger shark Galeocerdo cuvieri
overview of Hawaii’s marine fisheries from Hawaii, by mainland U.S. and foreign
1948 to the present. After three decades of fishing fleet standards almost all the Tunas
Bigeye Tuna Thunnus obesus
decline following a brief period of growth vessels in this segment would be con- Yellowfin tuna T. albacares
at the conclusion to World War II, Hawaii’s sidered small. Most “large-scale” com- Albacore T. alalunga
commercial fisheries began a decade of Skipjack tuna (Aku) Katsuwonus pelamis
mercial fishing vessels in Hawaii are Kawakawa Euthynnus affinis
sustained development in the 1980's. At Frigate tunas Auxis spp.
the same time, fisheries management is- less than 100 feet in overall length.
sues became more significant as different These include the older aku boats (pole- tuna’) (Table 1) and tuna longline sam-
segments of the fishery came into more and-line sampans! fishing for skipjack
direct competition. This paper provides pans (also wooden but of a different
new estimates of commercial landings for design), as well as modern tuna and
the 1977-90 period, and summarizes lim- 'The term “sampan” in Hawaii refers primarily swordfish longline vessels, distant-wa-
ited information on recreational and sub- to wooden-hulled fishing craft of a design in-
troduced by Japanese fishermen in the early
sistence fisheries in the 1980’s. It also
1900’s. The vessels range from 35 to 75 feet *Hawaii common names for commercial marine
provides some historical context which may with a flared bow, a low stern, and a deep profile fish and shellfish species are used throughout this
be useful in evaluating fishery develop- to maintain seaworthiness in Hawaii’s rough paper. Scientific names and corresponding Ha-
ment and management options. waters. waii, names are found in Table 1.
55(2), 1993
A NORTHWESTERN
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS AIN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS
ANCOCK
MOUNTS
\
——
KURE I. na
-MIDWAY IS.
S:PEARL & HERMES REEF
SALEUX SALMON
REEF “© BANK re LAYSAN I.
LISIANSKI |. ~ RAITA BANK
MRAEERFC ,‘GPAIRNDNNAECRL,E S
-\NECKER I.
~ fe quNiIHOA
he
NIIHAU.
SCALE: 250 MILES TO THE INCH
1 1 J 1 i
170° 165° 161,
Figure 1.—Hawaii map, including NWHI.
ter albacore trollers, and multipurpose commercial, and subsistence fishing. Hawaii’s Traditional Commercial
vessels which fish for bottomfish This segment includes the same kind Marine Fisheries
(deepwater snappers, groupers, and of vessels as found in the small-scale
Shortly after Statehood, a U.S. De-
jacks) and spiny and slipper lobster in commercial fleet, as well as some very
partment of Interior, Bureau of Com-
the NWHI. These vessels can operate small boats (including surf boards and
mercial Fisheries proposal labeled the
as far as 1,000 nautical miles from sail boards), charter fishing boats and
Hawaii fishery as “dying” (Iversen’).
Hawaii throughout the mid-North Pa- dive fishing boats. Although charter
Hawaii’s major commercial fisheries
cific, and some span the South Pacific. fishing is a commercial operation, its
had been dominated by traditional prac-
Most operate within 200 miles of the clients are oriented toward recreational
tices that reflected Hawaii’s Japanese
MHI or within the NWHI. opportunities and thus it is distin-
immigrant heritage and its impact on
2) Small-scale commercial fishing. guished from commercial fishing. The
the local fishery and seafood markets.
The vessels in this segment include target species for this segment of the
The predominant commercial fishery
a wide variety of trailered and moored fishery are more varied than those of
was aku (skipjack tuna), which was
boats between 12 and 45 feet in length. the commercial segments, and include
caught by a live-bait, pole-and-line,
These vessels primarily use trolling and a variety of reef species, as well as the
wooden sampan fleet, known as aku
handline techniques, although some more familiar tunas, billfish, mahimahi
boats (Fig. 2), and which was landed
traps and surrounding nets are used. and ono (wahoo), bottomfish, and crus-
primarily for canning. In 1960, over
The target species include tunas, bill- taceans. The fishing methods used are
60% of Hawaii’s total recorded com-
fish, mahimahi, ono (wahoo), bottom- also considerably more varied.
mercial fishery landings (by weight)
fish for the trollers and handliners; The issue of categorizing Hawaii’s
was aku, and the percentage remained
bottomfish, reef fish, and crustaceans small-boat fisheries is a difficult one,
over 50% until 1970.
for the trap vessels; and small mid- and is discussed later in this paper. For
By the mid-1970’s the number of
water scads (known locally as akule the moment we would categorize this
aku boats and their companion sam-
and opelu) for the surrounding-net fish- segment as one where the fishery has
ery. These vessels operate almost ex- limited fishing power and its fisher-
clusively in the MHI. men have mixed motivations in terms
3R. T. B. Iversen, 45-626 Halekou Place,
3) Small-scale recreational, part-time of fishing activity. Kaneohe, HI 96744. Personal commun., 1991.
Marine Fisheries Review
