concerned, there is reason to believe that production had not reached a maximum. Exported 

 processed food products consisted chiefly of dried bonito, dried tuna, canned fish, and 

 trepang, amounting altogether in 1937 to slightly over 6,000 metric tons. Compared with 

 total production in the Japanese Bnpire, fisheries products from the mandated area were 

 valued at less than two percent. 



The natives had little part in this developing industry. Okinawan fishermen manned 

 the fishing vessels and Japanese operated processing plants and facilities on shore. There 

 is no record of a native crew being permitted to operate a Japanese fishing vessel in the 

 offshore fishery. After the outbreak of war the natives were not allowed to go outside the 

 lagoons . 



However, the important place of sea foods in the native diet can scarcely be over- 

 emphasized. It is the beef and pork of Micronesia. Even at the highest levels of meat 

 production ■rtiich existed prior to the war, fish was the main protein, eaten at least once 

 daily, generally oftener. Chicken and pig, though fairly abundant were mostly eaten at 

 feasts. Shortages brought "on by the war, mainly Japanese inability to replenish their 

 own supplies, have now reduced the live stock to so low a number that in most places, even 

 feasts depend largely on sea food. 



It is not surprising that this should be so, for nonnally fish and shell-fish are 

 easily taken on the flat, shallow reefs along shore; on the barrier and fringing reefs 

 around the islands, and in the lagoons of atolls. The supply has always been available in 

 retiim for a few hours of pleaseuit recreation, needs no cultivation, and is even frequently 

 eaten raw, eliminating the labor of preparation. 



■Riis happy conditicoi has been badly affected by war. Native canoes were destroyed by 

 Japanese to prev«it escape or contact with United States forces. Almost every family 

 formerly had one canoe, often more. Without water transportation, fishing is limited to 

 the shoreline^ where the catch is mostly small iamiature fish and shell fish. The greatest 

 shortage is in the Palaus, where only 80 canoes were left out of 1500. 



A second and equally serious shortage exists in fishing supplies, and this is vmiversal 

 in the ex-mandate. Formerly, large quantities of Japanese hooks, feather lures, jigs, nets, 

 seine twine and fish line were obtainable. Stocks on hand have been exhausted and American 

 supplies have been slow in coming, 



the third factor limiting native subsistence fishing is reduction of fish and shell 

 fish on inshore reefs by Japanese dynamiting. Many Japanese garidsons found it necessary 

 to procure sea food to offset food shortages when their supply lines were cut. The most 

 efficient method of capture for them was use of explosives. Though no permanent damage 

 should ]-esult, temporary fish and shell fish shortages exist which are aggravated by the 

 shortages of vessels and supplies mentioned above. 



Another point worthy of mention is that except in the Palaus, various species of fish 

 are poisonous in varying degrees from slightly to deadly. Natives, of course, know the 

 edible quality of each fiph in their home waters, and fish poisonings more severe than 

 moderate gastric disturbances are rare. 



B. SCOPE AND METHCDS OF THE SURVEI. 



The primary pxirpose of the Econanic Survey was to promote the welfare of the native 

 population. The Survey was expected to establish a factual background for use by adminis- 

 trative officers. 



In order to accomplish this, the study of fishery resouirces was divided into two 



