Akciij_.j cuncentrated around a coral 

 head in 40 ft of water between To I 

 and Fala-Beguets Islands. 



FAMILY NAME Pomacentr idae 



SCIENTIFIC NAME Pomacentrus pavo (Bloch) 



TRUKESE NAME Nisom 



OKINAWAN NAME Hikiwa 



ENGLISH NAME Damselfish 



This damselfish, hikiwa, was reportedly used 

 as bait in Saipan during prewar years and in 

 Truk only when bait was really difficult to take. 

 It was most difficult to catch and the method of 

 capture was very destructive to the area fished. 

 Damselfish seek shelter within coral branches 

 and to capture enough of this fish for bait took 

 at least 3 days as the fishermen would literally 

 pick up individual coral heads and break them 

 up in order to get the live bait out. It would 

 take a boat crew of about 20 men a day to catch 

 a bucket of bait and three or four buckets were 

 required to go fishing. 



It was considered an adequate baitfish but 

 was used most sparingly and only when it was 



certain that the fish would bite. Owing to the 

 difficulty of capture, it was seldom used in 

 Truk. 



TRUK BAIT NETS 



The species of bait fished in the Truk lagoon 

 required the development of a special type of 

 net. 



It was made to form a bag and floats and sel- 

 vages were added as usual. The total width 

 approximated the length and material cost was 

 estimated at about $450.00. Okinawa Gyomo in 

 Naha, Asato can supply such a net according to 

 Captain Izumi. 



PREWAR SKIPJACK TUNA 

 FISHERY OF TRUK 



The Japanese recognized the value of the off- 

 shore skipjack tuna, Katsuwonus pelamis , fish- 



