PART I TI'ELD SURVEIS BY ISUND GROUPS 



I. ffiE MARSHALL ISLAIIDS 

 RALIK CHAIN 



A. ENrA-BTOK ATOLL (Population 139 - 19^6) 

 (Ifeiy l-i-18) 



There was no opportunity to troll offshore during the stay at Eniv/etok, and in any 

 case it is believed that the status of offshore fisheries will have been determined very 

 thoroughly by the fishery scientists attached to Operations Crossroads. Both reef and 

 inshore fishes were very abundant throughout the atoll, so that the small nuBiber of 

 n§.tives i^ere not likely to exhaust the supply with the methods of fishing available to 

 them. As an exan^le of the abundance of fish generally present, 81 goatfish ( Ifalloid - 

 i chthys auriflajima Forskal) were taken vath one cast of the lA-foot radius throw net. 

 These weighed approximately half a pound each. On another throw with the 12-foot radius 

 net, threadfish ( Polydactylus sexfilis) and four mullet (Mugil cephalus ) were taken. 

 These catches were made on the seaward side of Igurin Island, between the fringing reef 

 and shore, in depths of one to two feet. Small black-tioped sand sharks ( Su lamia 

 melanopterus ) , two to five feet in length, were common in shallow water. Also abundant 

 were small orange-striped crabs ( Grapsus grapsus tenuicrustatus ). These crabs were 

 boiled and eaten by the Marshallese. From the number of empty shells observed, it is 

 evident that the spiny lobster or crawfish ( Panulirus marginatus Quoy & Gaimard) is 

 abundant in the area. 



On account of the coral heads, beach seining would be impossible. There were places, 

 however, where a type of surround net could be used. On the lagoon side of Japtan Island 

 there was a fairly flat coral ledge, suitable for throw-netting (Fig. 1), but too rough for 

 beach seining. 



There were no edible seaweeds ( Codium sp.j Gracilaria sp.; Laurencia sp.) on either 

 Japtan or Igurin Islands. A few small bait fish, an anchovy of the kind called "nehu" in 

 Hawaii ( Anchoviella purpureus ) . were seen around the islands, but not in sufficient 

 quantity to supply a commercial fishery. In place of these, the very abundant small goat- 

 fish could be, used. 



Several species of small decorative shells were common in shallow water under rocks 

 along the shores of all of those islands of the atoll. The commonest ones were the "monkqr 

 face" ( Cypraea moneta). The "gold ringer" ( Pustularia annulus) and the "strawberry" or 

 "bleeding heart" ( Pustular ia ( Erosaria ) Helvola ). Several species of cowries, particular- 

 ly the tiger shell ( Cypraea 'tigris ) and Cypraea caputsei-pentis were abundant on the ocean 

 side of the reefs. The small shells mentioned provide an income to the natives, who make 

 them into necklaces, bracelets, and head bands for sale to militarj- and civilian personnel; 

 the prices charged by the natives range from a dollar, for a necklace made of the monkey 

 face, to ?^2,00 for one of gold ringer, and $5,00 for one of the bleeding heart or straw- 

 berry.. The tiger cowrie shells are generally sold for 25 cents each. 



All of the natives were concentrated on Aomon Island. Svibsequently, they were moved 

 away as a safety precaution in preparation for the first test of the atomic bomb. Two 

 species of the giant clam ( Tridacna rfigas- and Tridacna elongata) are abundant and are eaten 

 by the natives — usually raw, but sometimes made into chowder. In addition to the species 

 already mentioned, the natives obtain and eat in quantity rudderfish ( Kyphosus sp.), several 

 species of goat-fish ( Mulloidi chthys sp.) and ( Pseudupeneus sp.), trigger fish ( Balistes & 

 Balistapus sp.), surgeon fish ( Hepatus sp.), and octopi ( Polypus sp,). 



