HAWAII 

 Division of Fish and Ganne 



1. Introduction of Exotic Marine Game and Food Fishes 



Underwater surveys of inshore fishing areas have disclosed that the 

 Hawaiian fish fauna is depauperate and unbalanced. It is dominated by small 

 herbivorous fishes such as the surgeon fishes, butterfly fishes and damsel 

 fishes, which have practically no recreational or comnnercial value. Thus, 

 it is the objective of this project to enrich and bring about a better balance in 

 the Hawaiian fish fauna through introduction of selected carnivorous fish 

 species for which ecological niches are available in Hawaii from areas in the 

 Pacific. Inasmuch as certain of the fish species being considered for intro- 

 duction are reputed to be poisonous, as a corollary to this introduction pro- 

 gram, certain poisonous fish studies are being conducted. These studies 

 include feeding tests on experimental animals and toxin leaching experiments 

 in which reputedly poisonous fishes are being kept under isolation on a sub- 

 sistence of non-poisonous food to determine if the toxin can be nnetabolized 

 or leached out of the fishes. 



Economic Planning and Coordination Authority cooperating; Pacific-wide; 

 began October 1955, indefinite; $6, 000; Michio Takata and Carl Nemoto, 

 Leaders. 



Address inquiries to: Vernon E. Brock, Director, Division of Fish and 

 Game, Board of Conrimissioners of Agriculture and Forestry, P. O. Box 

 5425, Pawaa Sub-station, Honolulu, Hawaii. 



2. Ecological Studies of Hawaiian Reef and Inshore Game Fishes 



The objectives of this project are to find and adopt corrective measures to 

 rehabilitate the declining reef and inshore game and food fishes in the Hawaiian 

 inshore waters. In an effort to obtain some clues as to why certain areas have 

 an abundance of fish and others a scarcity of fish, attempts are being made to 

 relate fish abundance with current conditions, plankton abundance, bottom 

 types and other environmental factors. Additionally, habitat improvement 

 experiments are being conducted on a limited scale. These involve the plac- 

 ing of specially designed concrete shelters in selected areas to determine 

 what effects they might have toward increasing the standing crop of fishes in 

 a given area. 



Territory-wide; began February 1952, indefinite; $11, 000; Michio Takata 

 and Takuji Fujimura, Leaders. 



Address inquiries to: Vernon E. Brock, as in No. 1 above. 



3. Bait Fish Studies 



The principle bait fish species used in the Hawaiian skipjack fishery is 

 the nehu (Stolephorus purpureus) which is an extremely delicate fish having 

 a low tolerance for adverse conditions. Besides being in constant short 

 supply, they suffer about 30 percent mortality from the time of their capture 

 to the time when they are used out in the fishing grounds. So that the maxi- 

 mum benefits can be derived from the linnited bait supply, these bait fish 

 studies are aimed toward developing bait holding techniques which might re- 

 sult in a reduction in bait fish mortality and an increase in the carrying 

 capacities of live wells aboard skipjack fishing vessels. Holding bait fish 

 in water of reduced salinity, together with the use of an aerator, have re- 

 sulted in a 50 percent reduction in mortality and a 60 percent increase in 

 carrying capacity. 



Industrial Research Advisory Council and HawaiiaJi Tuna Packers, Ltd. , 

 cooperating; Oahu; began November 1953, to close June 1957; $1, 000; Vernon 

 Brock and Michio Takata, Leaders; reports available. 



Address inquiries to: Vernon E. Brock, as in No. 1 above. 



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