to preserve the stock the skipjack fishermen's association prohibits the 

 taking of the fish during January and February 



These fish are taken by going to the grounds before dawn and driving 

 the fish into a fine-meshed net £ ?mojiami_/ just as day breaks. The 

 fishermen then set off for the skipjack grounds at about 7s00 a.m. These 

 fish are weak and those taken on one day cannot be held over until the 

 next day. At the peak of the season one haul with the bait net usually 

 provides enough bait for one fishing trip a 



(2) shiira (common name) /may be Sardinia immacula ta../ 



Resembles the young of the hiraiwashi / His ha elongata ?_/ of Japan. 

 Somewhat slenderer than the baka <> At Saipan it occurs in greatest 

 numbers inside the harbor £ Tanapag ?__/, and is also abundant inside the 

 reef off Garapan„ Being a species which comes into the lagoon from the 

 open sea, it schools abundantly in season at the entrance to the boat 

 channel off Garapan. The season is the five months from Kay to September. 

 In December and January only a few are seen and they are grown too large 

 to be suitable for skipjack bait 



Like the baka this fish is taken with a driving-in net, but 

 whereas in taking the baka the fishermen dive and chase the fish, the 

 shiira are driven in with a surround net This soecies will collect 

 around a fishing light „ 



(3) hiraaji or gatsun / carangids_/ 



These fish are the young of the meaji /probably Trach urops 

 c r ume nopthalma _/. They are much larger than the species described above, 

 being usually about 7 fish to 100 momme j_ 13.25 ounces_/ ? and are thus 

 most suitable as bait for medium and large skipjack. They occur inside 

 the reef on the west side of Saipam. They come in through the channels 

 from the open sea on s,torny days and are generally taken at the 

 entrance to a pas , The season is the 4- months from June to September. 

 They are taken during the day using surround-nets and set nets 

 _/? mawashi tateaml _/. This species also is attracted by light,, 



(U) muro /probably Decapterus sp<>„/ 



These fish are about the same size as, the hiraaji . usually running 

 about 3 fish to 100 momme /~13»25 ounces_/, but smaller ones run about 

 10 per 100 momme „ They are found outside the reef at Saipan and do 

 not come inside the lagoon. The season is roughly the same as that for 

 the hiraaji . four months from June to September, but it is often 

 irregular. 'ftiis year they did not show up at ail. 



This species is taken during the day with a stick-held dipnet 

 using shrimp for bait. They sometimes school around naval vessels and 

 steamers anchored off Garapan, and they will collect around a fishing 

 light. 



