Native Subsistence Fishing. — Although the number of economic 

 species of fish, reptiles and marine invertebrates is certainly in 

 excess of 2000, the day-to-day subsistence of the native people is 

 dependent on a comparatively few groups. Of the reef and inshore 

 fishes throughout the area, the most important are angelfish, barra- 

 cuda, crevalle, goatfish, parrot fish, squirrel fish, surgeon fish 

 and wrasse. Among invertebrates, the more important ones are a type 

 of cockle (Anadara), conchs 7 , crabs (especially the black Samoan crab, 

 Sc ylla serrata. (figure 4) which lives among mangrove roots, weighs 

 over two pounds, and has claws the size of a Mai ne lobster's), octopi, 

 "rock oyster" ( Spondylus sp_.), spiny lobster (figure 5), sea anemone, 

 sea urchin, clams, including the giant clams of which there are three 

 species, trochus of several species, and turbos or cat-eyes. A number 

 of species of sea cucumbers are abundantly distributed over the entire 

 area, but they were not found to be an important part of the native 

 diet, though greatly relished by the Japanese. 



Of the open ocean species found outside the reefs, tuna, mackerel 

 and swordfish are of general importance. A few of these offshore 

 fish are taken by natives, usually by trolling a feathertype jig behind 

 a sailing outrigger canoe just outside the breakers on the barrier 

 reef. Occasionally, however, still -fishing is done offshore ia depths 

 to 20 fathoms, where swordfish weighing over 200 pounds and yellow- fin 

 tuna up to eighty pounds. There would be more of this type of fishing 

 except that heavy fishing line has been scarce. 



Dugongs or sea cows are sometimes taken, but they are now 

 quite rare. 



Failure of the natives to develop more of an offshore fishery 

 has not been due to their inability to catch the tuna or other species 

 but because they had no urgent heed to do so. From a practical stand- 

 point it was easier for them to obtain their fish from the constant 

 fish population on the reefs and in the lagoons. Their offshore 

 fishing was more in the nature of what we would call "sport fishing." 

 The taking of an extra large tuna or swordfish is described by natives 

 with as much enthusiasm as if it were to be entered into the records 

 of the International Game Fish Association. Difficulties of pre- 

 serving excess catch also restricted heavy production. In the ab- 

 sence of any kind of refrigeration and scarcely enough salt for 

 seasoning only sun-drying was practical, and even this method was 

 limited to a few localities. Except where local control has been 

 gained with DDT, swarms of house flies immediately cover any meat 

 or fish left in the open. 



