Table 3. — Average catch in metric tons (Y) , average number of standard effective trips (f ) , average 

 catch per standard effective trip in metric tons (Y/f), and the number of quarters (Q), in which 

 some catches were reported in each of the regions, for all years 



Region 



Kind 



of 

 data 



First 

 quarter 



Second 

 quarter 



Third 

 quarter 



Fourth 

 quarter 



Region 



Kind 



of 

 data 



First 

 quarter 



Second 

 quarter 



Third 

 quarter 



Fourth 

 quarter 



generally unfavorable weather. The fleet aver- 

 aged 249 standard effective trips (hereafter 

 shortened to trips), which accounted for about 

 15 percent of the approximately 1,600 trips an- 

 nually. First-quarter catches were usually 

 small and over the 18-year period averaged 

 about 385 metric tons or about 9 percent of the 

 average annual catch. 



Although most of the skipjack tuna fishing in 

 Hawaiian waters was near Oahu (table 4) in all 

 quarters, a fairly high percentage also occurred 

 around Maui. Two regions usually produced 

 fairly high catches in the first quarter (fig. 3)-- 



one off Cape Kaea, where the quarterly total 

 catches averaged 73 metric tons, and one off 

 Kaena Point, where they averaged about 54 

 metric tons. The remaining regions off Oahu 

 (excluding the offshore regions), off Ilio Point, 

 and Penguin Bank usually produced fair catches 

 that averaged between 20 and 50 metric tons. 

 Other regions usually produced poor catches 

 which averaged about 20 metric tons or less. 



Second quarter . --The first appearance of 

 large "season fish" that range from about 7 

 to 11 kg. marks the real beginning of the skip- 

 jack tuna fishing season in Hawaiian waters. 



