III. THE MARIAia ISUNES 



A. SAIPAM ISUI© (Population M600 - 19-46) 

 (June 12-17) 



the fringing reef on Saipan is in some places over a mile offshore, fomiiig a broad 

 inshore area suitable for beach seining and throw netting. The native population on 

 Saipan is somewhat in excess of ^,600 persons, and since they traditionally consume nearly 

 a pound of fish per person per day, there is a steady market for fishery products. Due to 

 the general shortage of labor, most of the natives are employed by the armed services in 

 one capacity or another. Only 80 men are available lor work in the fisheries. Approximate- 

 ly 50 of these are engaged in offshore fishing for bonito on tvro Japanese sampans. 



Under the Japanese, the bonito fishery was entirely in the hands of Okinawan or Japan- 

 ese fishennen and no natives were allowed outside the reefs, 'flhen these experienced fish- 

 ermen were repatriated, there remained available on Saipan four sampans from 55 to 65 feet 

 in length, nfith necessary operating gear such as bait nets, poles, and hooks. Two of 

 these vessels are nowin operation with all native crews. A thorough description of the 

 methods used will be found in the Fisheries section (Part II-IC), since it may become an 

 example for operations by natives in some of the other islands, particularly in the 

 Carolines. 



Several night surveys .were made of reefs at various parts of the island, especially 

 to determine the abundance of spiny lobsters, sea cucumbers, and trochus shells, all three 

 of which are more easily located at night than diiring the day time. The local native 

 method of hunting the spiny lobster is to use either a coconut frond torch or a Coleman 

 gasoline lantern and walk along in shallov/ v;ater not over three feet deep and when a 

 lobster is located to pin it down with a forked stick. Two fishermen v/ork together on 

 this, one carrying the torch, the other the forked stick. A method which v.-e found much 

 more successiXil than the regulation torching was to s*ri.m with navy battle lanterns under 

 water, as visibility is much better and the crawfish, being largely blinded by the glare 

 of the light, can be caught by hand. 



In contrast to the scarcity of fish inside the reef, we found the holes and caverns 

 at the outer edge of the reef well populated with surgeon fish, red squirrel fish, crevalle 

 and parrot fish. As long as there is the labor shortage on Saipan, these fish cannot be 

 made available to the native population, as they can be taken only by spearing, or by the 

 use of hand lines from outside the breakers. As the natives are employed daily by the 

 airmed services, they will have no opportunity of going to these reefs. Many Chamorros have 

 spears, goggles, and seven- foot thrownets. The latter have a very small mesh, close to 

 1/8 inch square bar. They are used along the sandy beaches and the catch is generally 

 small goat fish three to four inches in length and occasionally mullet up to 10 inches in 

 length. 



A night survey was made of the reef which lies off Maniagassa Island. With the 

 assistance of four native divers, a strip 60 feet wide and half a mile long was covered 

 on the inner side of the reef. The depth of water varied from two to five feet. Using 

 diving goggles and navy battle lanterns carried under water, the section was carefully 

 covered. Spiny lobsters were common, but we obtained only two which were large, weigh- 

 ing two and a half and three pounds and being 18 and 20 inches in length. Trochus were 

 very abundant. Taking only the largest shells, at least four inches in diameter at the 

 base, they were picked up at the rate of 25 an hour. There were many large trochus 

 shells inhabited by hermit crabs, and it is reasonable to suppose that they had perished 

 from old age. 



Sea cucumbers were very abundant. The large yellow ones up to 1^ inches in length 

 were common, as were the large, black, smooth ones up to 24 inches in length. Fairly 



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