PART III 



SUiSliARY AND EECOMUBliDATIONS 



A. SUUMAKT 



1, General Summary 



The superficial nature of the Siu-vey cannot be too strongly emphasized. Funda- 

 mental knowledge of the fisheries is almost non-existent. Such basic facts as the times 

 of spaiming, rates of growth, age at maturity, survival, food habits, and environmental 

 factors, remain unknown. Basic information of this kind can be obtained only by trained 

 fishery experts working over a period of years. A knowledge of these factors is the only 

 sound basis lor the establishment of permanent conservation measures, or for the exploi- 

 tation of the fisheries themselves. 



Administrative oificers will find that aside from the few exceptions to be 

 mentioned belov,, the natives are able to obtain the necesseiry sea food for their diet by 

 the use of their traditional methods. As long as their present way of life remains re- 

 latively unchanged, it vdll be found that no purpose would be served in attempting to in- 

 troduce different or supposedly more modern methods of fishing. The reefs and lagoons 

 have a resident population of sea foods ample to provide the daily requirements tlirough- 

 out the year and it is not necessary to atten^st to build up supplies for use in periods 

 of shortage. To do so would require either the introduction of methods of salting, dry- 

 ing, and storage, or the installation of refrigeration equipment v»ith attendant mainten- 

 ance problems usually beyond the means or the capacity of the local people. In the field 

 of water transportation, no means of private travel has been found more econcaaical than 

 the paddling or sailing canoe, and the introduction of small craft powered with outboard 

 or inboard marine engines should be dependent on specific local needs. 



Exceptions to the above general conditions are limited to localities having large 

 military installations, or to places badly damaged by military operations. In the former 

 category are Guam and Saipan, and in the latter liota, the Palaus in the vicinity of Koror, 

 Truk, and Ponape, The labor requirements of military establishments on Guam and Saipan 

 have made fishing a commercial, rather than a subsistence, proposition. In the vicinity 

 of Koror, destruction of native boats, canoes, houses, buildings, and other facilities was 

 so nearly complete as to require several years for recovery. In the meantime they need 

 considerable assistance in rehabilitation. At truk and Ponape the Japanese dynamited the 

 lagoon and reef areas to obtain food, with the result that several years will be required 

 for a return to a normal fish population. In the meantime, the native requests for 

 assistance in obtaining fishery supplies and equipment should be filled as speedily as 

 possible, 



2. Information on Fishinp. Supplies 



Fish hooks are designated in size from small to large by two seides of numbers, 

 the first from sixteen down to one, and the second beginning with 1-0 and progressing up 

 to 12-0, The small size hook is therefore #16 and the largest size hook is #12-0. Six 

 sizes will cover practically all of the needs of the native fishermen. These could be 

 sizes 8, 5, 2, 2-0, 5-0, and 8-0. The most practical shape is that known as "O'Shaughnessy" 

 and the hooks should be tinned. For trolling and for heavy line fishing, a hook similar 

 to the Pfleuger "martu" in sizes of 8-0, 10-0, and 12-0 will be found suitable. 



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