/7th to 8th-/ear fish 1 



\7th-year fish 36 



m t-i o * ^ /Lc* 6th to 7th-/oar fish U 



Table 8 oat of 65* 6th-yeir fish 18 



5th to 6th-year fish 5 

 ».5th-year fish 1 

 (TN. »Pre3umed to be out of 66 with 7th-year fish 37) 



The majority of the yellowfin caught in this area were in their seventh 

 year; next most numerous were 8th-year and 6th-year fish. The data clearly 

 indicate that yellowfin under the i^th-year wei^ not caught. 



I took great pains in measuring these yellowfin in order to learn the age 

 of the fish taken tfj tuna longlines in island waters. Although this was the 

 objective, I felt n\y interest mount as I accumulated more and more measurements 

 for I was able to obtain strong evidence of the permanent nature of the tuna 

 fishing industry of the islands, 



BrieTly, the fact that the tuna longline, which is the principal gear used 

 in tuna fishing, takes only the mature yellowfin and does not catch those below 

 the 4.th-year or those which are immature means that the fishery is conducted 

 according to the natural law of spawning protection. (Although young and imma- 

 ture yellowfin are sometimes caught in the waters near the island, such in- 

 stances are rare and insignificant.) For this reason, I believe that the stock 

 of this tuna species is of a permanent nature. 



(May 23) 



-2- 



