Figure 22. Midwinter Sampan Fishing in Line Islands. 

 One trial venture to the Line Islands made by the Honolulu based 

 sampan, TRADEWIND, was logistically supported by the HUGH M. 

 SMITH, and fished the Line Islands area near the Equator south of 

 Hawaii during January. This effort was the first comnnercial at- 

 tempt to capitalize on the results of POFI live bait fishing surveys 

 made during 1950 and 1 95 1 . In spite of a mediocre catch of 14 tons 

 of yellowfin and about 2 tons of reef fish, the fishermen from the 

 sampan felt that a profitable off-season fishery might be developed. 

 The photos show TRADEWIND fishermen catching a large 6-pole 

 yellowfin; the average size of the tuna caught by the TRADEWIND 

 on this trip was 40 pounds (l-and2-pole fish), considerably smal- 

 ler than those taken by longline gear in that region. 



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